Palace: Public transport, non-essential stores closed in MECQ; quarantine passes back

The return of Metro Manila and several neighboring provinces to the second strictest lockdown level will suspend public transport, shutter non-essential stores and bring back the policy for quarantine passes, Malacañang said Monday. 

President Rodrigo Duterte announced Sunday that Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan would go back to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from Aug. 4 to 18. 

Under MECQ, all public transport will be banned and companies permitted to continue their operations should provide shuttle services to their workers, said Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque. 

“Balik po tayo sa shuttle muna at saka motorsiklo, sa bisikleta, mga pribadong sasakyan,” he told ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo. 

(We will return to shuttle services, motorcycles, bicycles, private cars.)

The Department of Transportation said public shuttles will be allowed for frontline workers or those who will return to work in allowed industries under the MECQ, while bus, jeepney, taxi, TNVS, are not allowed. Tricycles are also not allowed, but with exceptions, subject to the guidelines set by the Department of the Interior and Local Government and respective local government units. 

Under the rail sector, operations of the PNR, LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 will remain suspended.

For private transport, company shuttle is allowed to operate with passenger capacity of 50%, and a special permit from LTFRB for rented shuttles. 

Personal vehicles owned by persons/workers in permitted sectors are also allowed, with two (2) persons per row.

Further, the individual use of bicycle, motorcycle, or e-scooter by APORs is also allowed. Moreover, e-scooters are allowed, subject to existing traffic regulations.

In the interview, Roque said supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, export-oriented firms and business process outsourcing (BPO) firms can stay open under the MECQ. 

Each family will have 2 members with quarantine passes that will permit them to go on supply runs, added Roque. 

Watch a snippet of his interview here. 

TeleRadyo, August 3, 2020