Truck body-maker shifts to production of PUV dividers

MANILA: From individuals to corporations, everyone is currently being forced by the COVID-19 pandemic to innovate and find new revenue streams.

The latest company to make the shift is Centro Manufacturing Corporation (CMC), which has been in the truck body and truck-related equipment manufacturing business since 1996. They currently have 3 plants, in Bulacan, Cavite, and Novaliches.

Their newest product is dividers that can be installed in both conventional and modern public utility jeepneys (PUJs) to these units comply with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) protocols for health and safety.

The divider material is non-permeable, transparent plastic and the dividers are installed conforming to physical distancing. They may be installed one seat apart or even at less than one meter apart,” said Centro sales manager Vic Belisario.

Operation of PUJs and public utility buses (PUBs) are currently banned in modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) but despite the stipulations in the “National Action Plan COVID-19” stating they can restart in general community quarantine (GCQ), the Metro Manila Council (MMC) recommends their continued suspension due to health concerns.

A professionally-made device like this could make the MMC rethink their decision regarding the operation of PUJs and PUBs in GCQ.

This divider can also be retrofitted in a UV Express unit.

“As the pandemic situation improves and more and more UVs and PUVs are allowed to operate, we see the need for these UVs and PUVs to have dividers. This makes them perfect as the vehicle solution to mass transport and the shuttle requirements of offices and factories,” added Belisario.

Don’t bother copying the design as CMC aims to protect its rights. “We intend to protect our intellectual property rights over this innovative product so we will have it patented,” Belisario ended.

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