7 Commandments for public transport
THOU SHALL FOLLOW
For sure, we all want to go back to normal and do things as usual or before this whole COVID-19 situation had started
As the country continues to recover and gradually reopens the economy, the government has also decided to expand the capacity of public transportation. This, as more commuters are expected to utilize all available public transportation modes since more workers are going back to their workplaces, travel to different parts of the country is permitted in some cases, and more people are now allowed to go out.
To serve more passengers, Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade has ordered the implementation of various initiatives to cater to more people, such as adaption of the “one seat apart” rule to increase public transport capacity. With this development, strict enforcement of health and sanitary measures will be implemented to protect people’s safety and welfare.
For sure, we all want to go back to normal and do things as usual or before this whole COVID-19 situation had started, but similar to a patient on the road to recovery, there are rules and protocols we must follow in order to recover at the soonest time possible.
In the transport sector, these protocols crafted for the passengers, drivers and operators to follow are called the “Seven Commandments for Public Transport.” These commandments are based on the recommendations of health experts to protect and uphold the safety of the people and further help in containing the spread of the virus.
The first commandment is to” Wear masks and face shields.” This requires the proper way of wearing a mask wherein it should completely cover the nose and mouth. For the face shield, this should also cover the whole face, starting from the forehead, down to the chin.
The second commandment is “No talking and making phone calls.” Authorities advise to prohibit people from making unnecessary talks, chatting and answering phone calls while inside public transport. In this way, respiratory droplets which contain the highly communicable virus are prevented from spreading to other passengers inside public transport.
Third is “No eating.” By prohibiting people from eating inside public transport, it prevents them from taking off their mask and face shield, while at the same time, keeping the public transport clean.
The fourth commandment is to Keep public utility vehicles week-venticulated. This protocol ensures that PUV operators and drivers have adequate and proper ventilation in their vehicles. PUV windows are advised to be kept open for the free flow of air. Meanwhile, if a PUV does not have a window, it must secure a modern ventilation system or install an alternative engineering solution for air to circulate freely inside the vehicle.
Fifth is the Conduct of frequent disinfection. This is an important rule to follow for public transportation, as frequent disinfection for all transport modes, such as trains, buses, jeepneys and passenger vessels will prevent commuters, drivers and conductors from catching the virus.
The sixth commandment is No passengers with COVID-19 symptoms are to be allowed inside the public transportation. Monitoring and pre-boarding health checks are now part of the new normal as this will prevent potential carriers of the disease from entering PUV. Should any passenger exhibit symptoms, such as having a 37.8-degree Celsius body temperature and above, they will be prohibited from boarding a jeepney, vessel, bus, trains and other public transport modes.
Last is the seventh commandment, which directs the riding public to Observe appropriate physical distancing (“one-seat-apart”) rule. This protocol came after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his whole Cabinet approved the recommendation of the Economic Development Council to aid in economic recovery. Additionally, sitting together is also allowed, provided that plastic barriers are placed in between passengers, or that UV lights will be used for disinfection.
The enforcement of these Seven Commandments is also in time with the increase of passenger capacity of our major rail lines — the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2), and the Philippine National Railways (PNR) — to 30 percent, to be gradually expanded up to 50 percent.
In achieving recovery, the government and health authorities cannot to this alone. We need the cooperation of every individual to do their part and adhere to protocols, which are set for their own benefit and safety. And in this new normal, the support and compliance of the people are crucial so that we can all move forward and finally heal as one.