Increasing public transportation capacity up to 70% being studied – Palace

October 5, 2020

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases is studying the possibility of further increasing the capacity of public transportation to 70 percent, Malacanang said on Monday.

In a televised press briefing in Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said this could happen as the government is opening up the economy.

"The IATF is really thinking about it because we all know that the only way to uplift us from poverty is to open the economy, which can already happen by taking care of our lives in order to keep our jobs. And I think, it's a matter of time before we can bring back the transportation (capacity) to 70 percent," he said.

Currently, the various modes of public transportation could only ferry up to 50 percent to ensure proper physical distancing.

In the same briefing, Roque reiterated the Department of Trade and Industry's Memorandum Circular, which has increased the allowable operations capacity of business establishments, including the 24-hour operations of restaurants, in areas under the general community quarantine.

Based on DTI Memorandum Circular 20-52 issued on October 2, restaurants and fastfood establishments' dine-in, take-out, and delivery services shall be allowed "to operate up to 24 hours a day, as far as practicable, to augment the additional operation requirements and serve the needs of the public, while enhancing income opportunities for workers."

Also, the operational capacity for dine-in services of restaurants and fastfood establishments shall be allowed at more than 50 percent operational capacity. 

But the DTI said that physical distancing must be strictly observed and the increase in operating capacity, menu offering, and maximum servings of alcoholic beverages shall be subject to the corresponding local government guidelines.

The new guidelines are effective on October 3.

Barbershops and salons, on the other hand, are allowed to operate at a maximum of 75 percent operational capacity, subject to strict physical distancing.

DTI said that all services are allowed in barbershops and salons except full body massage.

Roque said the establishments, which are allowed to operate 100 percent in places under GCQ are the following: mining and quarrying (domestic); other financial services; legal and accounting; management consultancy activities; architecture and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis; scientific and research development; advertising and market research; computer programming; publishing and pringting services; film, music, and TV production; recruitment and placement agencies for overseas employment; other services such as photography services, fashion, industrial, graphic, and interior design; wholesale and retail trade of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles, including their parts and components; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles; malls and commercial centers (non-leisure only), subject further to pertinent guidelines issued by DTI; non-leisure wholesale and retail establishments (mall-based or otherwise; and all other public and private construction projects. Celerina Monte/DMS