Still no public transport in Cebu City under MECQ

CEBU, Philippines — There will still be no public transportation in Cebu City under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), says Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-7 director Eduardo Montealto.

Montealto said not even buses and public utility jeepneys in reduced capacity will be allowed to operate. He, however, said that buses and modern jeepneys will already be allowed to travel in Mandaue City, which will already transition to general community quarantine starting on Monday, provided that they have secured a special permit.

Montealto said at least 34 buses will be deployed in Mandaue City that can ferry passengers to and from Lapu-Lapu City. These are on top of the existing 16 buses and eight modern jeepneys already operating in Lapu-Lapu City after it went on GCQ on May 15.

"Ang mga buses ug modernized jeepney nga tugtan mobiyahe sa Mandaue ug Lapu-Lapu kay maka cross ra na sila kay both are under GCQ," said Montealto.

He added that operators of the buses coming from the towns and component cities of Cebu Province are still making representation with the Cebu City government and the Mandaue City government for the use of the North Bus Terminal that is set to reopen on June 1.

The terminal is owned by the Cebu City government but it is located in Barangay Subangdaku in Mandaue City. At present, buses plying north of Cebu are using a temporary terminal in Consolacion town owing to the ECQ status of Mandaue City.

Buses from the southern towns, on the other hand, are using a temporary terminal in Talisay City.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), in a resolution dated May 27, downgraded the status of Mandaue City from ECQ to GCQ starting June 1 until June 15.

In the same resolution, Cebu City was also placed under MECQ while the rest of Cebu province will go on with the present GCQ status until June 15. FPL (FREEMAN)