MANILA - Passenger capacity for rail lines and select public utility vehicles (PUVs) in Metro Manila will be increased to 70 percent from 50 percent beginning Nov. 4. the Department of Transportation said Wednesday.

Based on a memo released by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Nov. 2, public utility buses, jeepneys, UV Express in Metro Manila and nearby provinces or in Laguna, Rizal, Cavite and Bulacan "may operate under the approved passenger capacity as a result of the continuous decline in COVID-19 infections" and aggressive vaccine rollout.

The increase in capacity was earlier approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), the DOTr said in a statement.

“Pursuant to the recommendation of the DOTr, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) issued Resolution No. 146, series of 2021, dated 28 October 2021, granting the increase in passenger capacity starting at seventy percent (70 percent),” the memo said.

Plastic barriers inside public utility jeepneys are no longer required nationwide as long as physical distancing is observed, the agency clarified.

LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra said there is a need to increase passenger capacity as the demand for public transport grows due to the reopening of more businesses.

Increasing passenger capacity will also help cushion the impact of the oil price hike on PUV drivers, he said.

"Increasing passenger capacity will mean a higher revenue for the public transport sector lalo’t mas marami ng tao ang pinapayagang lumabas. Malaking tulong ito sa ating mga kababayang pasahero at mga tsuper,” Delgra said.

Meanwhile, the capacity for LRT 1, LRT-2, MRT-3, and PNR will also be increased to 70 percent from 30 percent, the DOTrsaid.

DOTr Undersectrary TJ Batan said there is only 0.01 percent chance of contracting COVID-19 in public transport, citing a study. This could decrease to 0.005 percent with face covering.

The DOTr however, said the "7 commandments" inside public transport would still be implemented, namely:

• Wearing face masks and face shields
• No talking and making telephone calls
• No eating
• Keeping public transport well-ventilated
• Conducting frequent disinfection
• No passengers with COVID-19 symptoms are to be allowed inside public transportation
• Observing appropriate physical distancing rule.

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