Health expert proposes staggered business hours: 'Para 'di sabay-sabay pumapasok'

MANILA - A medical expert on Wednesday floated the idea of businesses implementing staggered opening hours so that employees need not rush to work at the same time.

“Puwedeng pakiusapan 'yung mga businesses na mag-open na lang sila nang hindi ho sabay-sabay para hindi ho kailangang sabay-sabay na pumapasok 'yung mga tao,” Dr. Maricar Limpin, vice president of the Philippine College of Physician said.

(If we can appeal to businesses to not open at the same time so that their workers need not come to work at the same time.)
 
Limpin proposed the idea instead of resorting to reducing the 1-meter physical distancing in public transport to 0.75 meter.

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The Department of Transportation has adjusted physical distancing in public transport to 0.75 meters from 1 meter since health protocols such as the use of face masks and face shields are already being enforced. This is to also allow optimization of ridership.

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Limpin said there is a need to come up with other programs to ensure that more commuters have access to healthy and safe transportation.

“Ang importante po na kapag sumakay ng isang sasakyan ang isang tao, kailangang masiguro natin na ang mga commuters ay safe and healthy,” she said.

(What is important is to ensure that the commuter is healthy and safe when he takes the public transportation.)

She said the public still needs to follow the minimum health protocols of wearing face masks and shields and observing the 1-meter physical distancing to maximize the protection against COVID-19. She also hopes that the public would include regular hand washing and using of alcohol in their health protocols.

“Ang apela namin sana pakinggan nila 'yung sinasabi namin. Wala kaming vested interest dito. Ang gusto lang namin ay siguraduhin na bawat Pilipino ay ligtas kapag sila ay magbibiyahe at sana po ang Pasko natin na darating ay mas masaya kung mas makontrol natin nang mabuti itong COVID-19,” she said.

(Our appeal is that we hope they listen to what we say. We have no vested interest here. What we want is to ensure that every Filipino is safe when they travel and we hope we could better control COVID-19 so we can have a happy Christmas.)