Public vehicles allowed to ply the roads will see a "significant increase" in less than a month, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said Thursday, as the government sought to boost mass transport and the pandemic-battered economy.

Around 68 to 69 percent of public vehicles in Metro Manila have been allowed to ply roads, and authorities are "working closely" with local governments in other regions to increase their transportation capacity, said LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra.

The LTFRB will also open additional routes for provincial buses this week.

"We will be able to see a significant increase perhaps in the next 2 to 3 weeks but definitely December will be too far off in so far as the timeline is concerned," he told reporters.

Public vehicles should be "roadworthy" to ensure that passengers are safe from pollution and accidents, he said.

"We also have a responsibility--pandemic or no pandemic--na iyong mga pampublikong sasakyan na tumatakbo (running public vehicles) has to conform to the minimum standard by which we'll be able to measure road worthiness," said Delgra.

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