MANILA - The local government of Baguio City on Wednesday said it expects provincial buses and UV Express to resume operation after Christmas.

“I was hoping some of them will now start traveling. Kaya lang, inaayos pa nila ang kanilang triage process. Siguro, most probably, after Christmas, doon na nila papayagan, said Mayor Benjamin Magalong.

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Magalong said the transportation department on Tuesday has approved a memorandum circular allowing the point-to-point movement of buses.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Magalong said participating buses have been inspected and complied with the specifications and standards.

Magalong said that there are four bus companies in Baguio that have signified their intention to resume operations.

“But we're going to limit it to 8 buses lang muna. So, nag-usap kami rito nung isang araw. Nandito yung bus companies, and we met them and presented to them yung ating protocol and standards and guidelines which was formulated, kasama input nila, so there was complete alignment,” he said.

(But we're going to limit it to 8 buses only. And we already discussed it with them the other day. We met with bus companies and presented to them our protocol and standards and guidelines, which was formulated together with their inputs, so there was complete alignment.)

The mayor said the companies are still setting up their triage system.

“Pagsakay ng pasahero sa kanilang place of origin, may triage sila doon. Pagdating dito, may triage din sila rito. May mga bus companies that would swab test their passengers bago pa lang sumakay. Ganun ang mangyayari doon,” he said.

(A triage will be set up in the place of origin. Once they arrive, there is also a triage system here. There are bus companies that would swab their passengers before they board. That’s what’s going to happen.)

Magalong added that they would inspect the triage systems of bus companies to ensure that they pass the standard.

The same procedures will be applied to a limited number of UV Express vans allowed to operate.

The City Public Information Office in a Facebook post identified the approved routes to include the National Capital Region (NCR); Mariveles, Bataan; San Fernando City, Clark and Mabalacat City, in Pampanga; Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija; Lingayen, San Carlos City and Villasis in Pangasinan; and Bontoc, Mountain Province.

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