Fewer LRT passengers to promote social distancing

MANILA – The number of allowable passengers on the platforms of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) has been cut in half to combat the spread of the COVID-19 through social distancing.

In a message, Jacqueline Gorospe, communications head of the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), said on Friday after President Rodrigo

Duterte’s imposition of a community quarantine over Metro Manila on Thursday night, security personnel at each of the LRT-1’s stations have been ordered to limit platform crowd at half of usual capacity.

“As an example, for our Monumento Station (northbound), the platform area is 575 sq. m with usual

passenger limit per platform of 200. Now, it’s at 100 pax only,” Gorospe said.

She said the limit was being enforced during peak hours from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.

However, only the flow of passengers from the station entrance up to the platform is controlled by its personnel, she said, and not the entry of passengers to its trains.

“Ang nakokontrol po namin ay yung passenger flow sa entrance up to the platform (What we can control is the passenger flow from the entrance up to the platform),” Gorospe said.

She encouraged passengers to wear face masks or any similar protective cover when taking public transportation while senior citizens or those feeling unwell were advised to stay at home for their own health.

“If travel is unavoidable, we encourage them to take the LRT-1 during off-peak hours. Rest assured that LRMC continues to implement precautionary measures to prevent further spread of Covid-19,” Gorospe said.

Earlier, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease met to finalize the community quarantine in Metro Manila and possible exemptions especially for those working in the metropolis but go home to neighboring provinces.

On Thursday, aside from the community quarantine, Duterte ordered the suspension of domestic land, air, and sea travel beginning midnight of March 15 as part of the government’s measures on combating the spread of Covid-19.