Palace shares frustration over GCQ transport woes: ‘Mahirap talaga ang nangyayari’

By Prince Golez

Malacañang said it shares the same concern of Senator Nancy Binay for commuters who struggle to get rides due to limited access to public transport amid general community quarantine (GCQ) in Metro Manila.

Binay earlier challenged officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to commute to understand the daily struggle of Filipino commuters. She also criticized the DOTr on the absence of a clear plan for returning workers.

“Naiintindihan naman natin na mahirap talaga ang nangyayari sa ating mananakay,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview Wednesday.

Roque once again encouraged employers to implement the 50/50 work arrangement because modes of transport remain limited under general quarantine.

“Bagama’t 100% back to work, eh 50-50 pa rin noh. 50 percent nasa opisina, 50 percent nasa bahay noh. Alam niyo po para magkaroon tayo ng social distancing, sabi nga nila, 20% lang dapat ang pasakyan sa LRT/MRT, at 50 percent sa mga bus, so importante po talaga na gumawa ng shifting ang ating mga employers, para manatili ang kalahati ng ating workforce sa bahay dahil wala po talagang sapat na masasakyan,” the secretary said.

On Monday, Roque announced that President Rodrigo Duterte directed government agencies to provide transportation assistance to stranded Metro Manila commuters as the region transitioned from the modified enhanced community quarantine to the more relaxed GCQ.

“Nung makita po natin, na matindi talaga ang kakulangan, ang DOTR naman po ay tumugon, at nag-authorize ng mga pribadong bus at lumarga po sa dalawang ruta. Yung galing po sa Angat papuntang EDSA, at saka ‘yung galing po sa Dasmarinas papunta rin ng EDSA noh.

“Naintindihan naman natin ‘yan, nagbigay po ng libreng sakay ang MMDA, nagbigay po ng libreng sakay ang Hukbong Sandatahan, so hindi po natin kagustuhan na ma-inconvenience ang ating mga mananakay pero binibigyan po natin ng priority yung social distancing, dahil alam po nating mas mainam na buhay ang ating mga kababayan, kaysa mamatay po dahil sa Covid-19,” he said.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)