Provincial buses operating “point-to-point routes” may soon resume, says Palace

December 15, 2020

Provincial buses may soon resume their operations in "point-to-point routes."

In a televised press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has directed the Department of Transportation, through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, to craft the necessary operational guidelines for the resumption of provincial bus operations.

"Provincial buses in point-to-point routes approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the local government unit of destination, including their stop-over/transit terminals may resume their operations," Roque said, citing IATF Resolution No. 88, which was approved on Monday, December 14.

The task force said the point-to-point provincial buses shall be allowed unhampered passage through the different LGUs en route to the LGU of destination.

The LTFRB has so far only reopened the provincial bus operations in short distances, such as to and from Metro Manila and nearby provinces in limited capacity over two months ago amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But the long-haul provincial bus operations have yet to resume as many provinces have expressed reservation before to open their borders due to pandemic.

In the same resolution, Roque said the IATF acknowledged that the conduct and administration of insurance agents' qualifying examinations is a critical government service.

Thus, he said the face-to-face Insurance Agents' Qualifying Examinations shall be allowed to resume in areas under general community quarantine following the health and safety protocols as may be prescribed by the Insurance Commission and approved by the IATF. Celerina Monte/DMS