DOTr consistently assists frontliners amid Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

MANILA: The Department of Transportation (DOTr) strives to continue providing timely and unparalleled service to the public amid the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the implementation of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the DOTr has launched various projects and initiatives. These projects aim to provide immediate assistance to affected individuals following the mass transport suspension mandated to control the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines.

One of the programs of the DOTr Road Sector is providing free transport services for frontline health workers to ferry them daily to the hospitals where they have been assigned. Under the Free Bus Service for Health Workers Program, there are 19 routes for buses, and these routes cover various areas in Metro Manila and its adjacent provinces.

Since the launch of the program last March 18, there were 90 to 105 bus units per day that are being deployed for transport health workers to different hospitals. As of April 3, 23,673 frontliners in Metro Manila have been serviced under this program.

Aside from Metro Manila and its nearby provinces, the DOTr also provides free transport services for healthcare workers residing in other regions. Based on the statistics of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), there are 176 special permits approved for 418 bus units on different areas of the country to provide services for medical frontliners and hospital staff.

To assist individuals coming from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the DOTr also aids in ferrying passengers through the NAIA to Turbina, Laguna route, and the NAIA to Dau, Pampanga route. At present, 191 passengers have been transported through the said routes for free.

Moreover, to ease the burden of those who are part of the SPEED PUV program, the Land Bank of the Philippines provided a 30-day grace period for those who have existing loans and payments that are within the ECQ period.

The social amelioration program or cash assistance will also be given to drivers of Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) after the signing of the Joint Memorandum Agreement (MOA) between the LBP, LTFRB, DOTr, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

There are approximately 80,000 drivers included in the initial list, and they will undergo cross-matching through the DSWD. The scope of the list comprises drivers of PUVs such as the motorcycle taxis, school transport, transport network vehicle service, taxi, point-to-point (P2P) buses, public utility buses, UV Express units, and public utility jeepneys.

Photos from the official Facebook page of the DOTr