MANILA - Pasig City is accepting donations of old or new bikes to be used as transportation for health workers, its transportation department said Tuesday.

The city released its first batch of bikes to frontline personnel on Wednesday, the office said.

"Thanks to everyone who has responded to our call and to those that have sent us requests for bikes. We will reply to all of you as soon as we can," it said.

Donations can be made by messaging the city department's official Facebook page or sending an email to PasigTransport.info@gmail.com.

The city made the initiative after some health workers were forced to walk to hospitals following the suspension of all public mass transport for Luzon's lockdown, which began Tuesday and is set to last until April 12.

• COVID-19 frontliners, workers walk to work as lockdown stops public transport

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto earlier rejected a ban on tricycles and urged national government to exempt these from the ongoing ban on public transportation vehicles under the lockdown. There are also areas in Pasig City not accessible to huge vehicles.

The local government has also set up sanitation tents in its City Hall and 2 public hospitals and will purchase 400,000 food packs for its residents, Sotto said.

• LOOK: Sanitation tents installed in Pasig City hall, public hospitals
• 400,000 food packs ipapamahagi ng Pasig sa mga pinakasapul sa COVID-19 quarantine

All city government employees, regular or contractual, will also get their full salaries during the lockdown, he added.

• All Pasig employees to get full pay during COVID-19 quarantine: Vico Sotto