Pasig City allows tricycles to operate despite quarantine

MANILA: Pasig City took further moves to demonstrate concern not just for the frontliners, but also for its citizens amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the statement of Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto last March 17, he pointed out that tricycles will be permitted temporarily to continue transporting commuters in Pasig. This is because the city government does not have sufficient vehicles to offer rides for exempted commuters. Clearly, there are employees excluded from the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) who do not own private vehicles.

Moreover, risk assessment had demonstrated that demonstrated that the city cannot ban tricycles from transporting passengers during this time. Healthcare staff and essential service employees need to go to their respective workplaces. Furthermore, there are areas in Pasig that can only be accessed through tricycles. Thus, they must have limited trips within the city, maintained the city government.

The national government imposed the ECQ at midnight on March 17. During this period, the Tricycle Service and Regulatory Office of Pasig City established guidelines on how the city's most omnipresent mode of public transport can operate.

The ECQ is a standard measure for the suppression of the spread of the virus in Luzon. The Philippines saw a sudden increase in the number of Covid-19 cases since last week. As of yesterday, there were 202 confirmed cases, and 17 succumbed to the dreaded virus.

According to Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, this measure suspended public transit across the eight administrative regions of Luzon to keep people in their homes and disable them from going to the metro.

Sotto reminded the residents of Pasig that those exempted from the ECQ would be prioritized for the tricycles. These include media personnel, employees of essential services like groceries and food, security officers, and health workers.

Only up to three passengers at a time are permitted on each tricycle to practice social distancing. This measure is to help maintain enough personal space and avoid contracting the virus. A small taxi can usually hold up to six people in a single ride, with the driver included.

The Pasig City government also allowed tricycle operators to increase fares by 50% as it reduced the number of passengers they take on each journey. According to Sotto, it would not be fair if tricycle drivers will only earn P50 for an eight-hour trip; thus, the reason for the fare increase.