DTI Pangasinan awarded anew Negosyo Kits to 26 identified beneficiaries from the municipalities of Lingayen and Binmaley. This is part of the agency’s Livelihood Seeding Program (LSP)- Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (NSB) and Pangakabuhayan sa pagBangon at Ginhawa (PPG). Each of the beneficiaries received Php8,000 worth of sari-sari store kits during the awarding held on October 15, 2020.
DTI Region 1 Regional Director, Grace Falgui-Baluyan, ARD Daria R. Mingaracal, DTI Pangasinan Provincial Director Natalia Basto-Dalaten together with Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil and Binmaley Municipal Administrator Diomedes Bolaney led the two separate awarding programs of kits to the beneficiaries.
DTI’s LSP- NSB and PPG programs aim to provide support to qualified individuals and microenterprises affected by man-made and natural calamities, including the pandemic coronavirus (Covi19) and other catastrophic events.
To date, DTI Region has distributed a total of 1,453 livelihood kits in the region. Dir. Baluyan emphasized that MSMEs play a big role in the economic development of any areas. “May these kits give you a new hope. Grow your businesses, help your family and the community.” she added.
Profiling and interview of the qualified beneficiaries were done thoroughly to ensure that they have not yet received other amelioration programs of the government including the DSWD SAP. END
16 October 2020
PROVINCIAL BUS ROUTES MULA DAVAO AT PAMPANGA PAPASOK NG METRO MANILA, BINUKSAN NA NG LTFRB
Alinsunod sa kautusan ni Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade na magbukas ng mas maraming ruta ng nga pampublikong sasakyan, nagbukas ang LTFRB ngayong araw, 16 Oktubre 2020, ng karagdagang ruta ng mga provincial buses mula Pampanga at Davao patungong Metro Manila.
Ito ay ayon sa naging desisyon ni Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte at ng buong Gabinete na aprubahan ang mga rekomendasyon ng Economic Development Council (EDC) na naglalayong makatulong sa pagbangon ng ekonomiya.
Nakasaad sa Memorandum Circular 2020-051 ang pagbibigay-daan ng LTFRB sa pagbubukas ng Provincial Bus Routes papasok ng Metro Manila. Bawat ruta ay dumaan sa masusing pag-aaral ng ahensya at sa pakikipagtulungan ng Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) at mga lokal na pamahalaan.
Narito ang mga binuksang provincial bus routes:
- Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga – Araneta Center, Cubao
- Davao City, Davao Del Sur – Sta. Rosa Integrated Terminal, Laguna
Mayroong 5 units para sa ruta ng Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga papuntang Araneta Center, Cubao, samantalang 14 units naman ang pinayagan para sa ruta ng Davao City, Davao Del Sur hanggang Sta. Rosa Integrated Terminal, Laguna.
Mananatili naman ang mahigpit na pagpapatupad ng 7 COMMANDMENTS para sa mga PASAHERO, DRAYBER, OPERATOR at KONDUKTOR ng pampublikong transportasyon:
- Magsuot ng face mask at face shield
- Bawal ang pagsasalita, pakikpag-usap o pagsagot ng telepono
- Bawal ang pagkain
- Kailangang may sapat na ventilation
- Kailangang may frequent disinfection
- Bawal magsakay ng symptomatic passenger
- Kinakailangang sumunod sa appropriate physical distancing (one seat apart)
Ang mga health and sanitation protocols na ito ay alinsunod sa rekomendasyon ng mga health experts na kinakailangang isapuso at sundin ng mga pasahero, driver, konduktor, at maging ng mga operator.
Patuloy na magbubukas ang LTFRB ng mga bagong ruta ng PUV sa mga susunod na araw.
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14 October 2020
DOTr to implement one-seat apart rule to increase public transport capacity; operationalize more PUV routes, units; accelerate implementation of service contracting
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade yesterday ordered all transportation sectors to implement the “one-seat apart” rule to increase public transport capacity, operationalize more public utility vehicle routes and units, and accelerate the implementation of service contracting for buses and jeepneys to accommodate more commuters, while strictly enforcing health and safety protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
This, after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his Cabinet decided to approve the recommendations proposed by the Economic Development Cluster (EDC) to aid in economic recovery.
To do this, Secretary Tugade directed the agencies to religiously adhere to DOTr’s Operation Plan (OPLAN) AIR (Add routes/PUVs, Increase speed/capacity, Reduce travel time) to serve as the baseline in formulating and implementing transport initiatives to increase public transport capacity, especially at this time when the government is aiming to revive the country’s economy amid the pandemic and under the “new normal.”
Secretary Tugade ordered the immediate adoption of the one-seat apart rule to increase the present capacity in public utility vehicles (PUVs), and gradually increase capacity, or allow sitting together— provided that plastic barriers are placed in between passengers, or that UV lights are used.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will be issuing a clarificatory memorandum circular explaining in detail the “one-seat apart” rule and the use of measures to increase capacity while ensuring safety of passengers, such as the use of plastic barriers to separate passengers, or UV lights, inside PUVs.
In addition, the transport chief ordered the LTFRB to open up more public transport routes and authorize more roadworthy units, such as provincial and city buses, as well as public utility jeepneys. He also ordered the agency to allow the operation of additional transport network vehicle services (TNVS), and taxis. Under the current policy, there is no cap on the number of additional taxis and TNVS units to be deployed for as long as they are duly-accredited by the Transport Network Corporations (TNCs) for purposes of contact tracing, are authorized to operate (with appropriate CPC or P.A.) and, more importantly, are compliant with public health protocols set by IATF.
Return of Motorcycle Taxis
With regard to the clamor for the return of motorcycle taxis on the streets, Secretary Tugade reiterated that the DOTr will fully support this, provided that a Congress Resolution is passed to serve as the DOTr’s legal basis for its implementation.
“The DOTr recognizes the role of motorcycle taxis in transporting our commuters to their destinations. Malaking tulong ho ito lalo na ngayong limitado pa din ang kapasidad ng pampublikong transportasyon. Kaya nga ho ba, as long as there is a Congress Resolution, which will be our legal basis to allow the operation of MC Taxis, we will fully support this. We will abide by the directive of Congress and the IATF on the health and safety protocols,” Sec. Tugade said.
Easing processes on the use of shuttle services
To add more transport service for employees and workers, Secretary Tugade ordered the LTFRB to speed-up the processes needed for the deployment and operation of shuttle services.
“Noon pa man, binigyan ko na ng direktiba ang LTFRB na dapat pabilisin ang proseso. Ayoko ng may prosesong matagal at manghihingi pa ng permit. Nasa pandemic tayo. We should just observe the basic protocols,” he said.
It may be recalled that the LTFRB has issued Memorandum Circular No. 2020-039 dated 17 August 2020 which exempts shuttle services for transport workers during the general community quarantine (GCQ) from securing franchise or Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) so long as they fall under the exemption on the following conditions: 1) Vehicles must be secured by a Contract of Lease for a period of at least three (3) months but not exceeding 31 December 2020, and said contract must at all times be readily available for presentation during on-road operations or as the Board deems necessary; 2) Vehicles must be used and driven by the lessee or his/her authorized representatives; 3) Vehicles must be currently registered and covered by a comprehensive passenger insurance policy; and 4) Vehicles subject of the lease contract shall bear the proper marking of, the company that it is servicing for identification.
For PUV operators contracted by private companies for shuttle service, they may apply for special permits which is expedited through the online facility of LTFRB. The permit is issued within the same day of the filing of application provided all requirements are submitted likewise online.
Service Contracting
Meanwhile, to give transport operators and drivers a steady source of income while improving the commuters’ riding experience, Secretary Tugade ordered the LTFRB to accelerate the implementation of service contracting for buses and public utility jeepneys by October 2020.
According to the implementing guidelines on the PUV service contracting program released by LTFRB last 8 October 2020, a “Net Service Contracting scheme” will be implemented under which payments will be calculated based on rates set for the distance and routes that drivers will be covering over a particular period. In this scheme, government will pay drivers a subsidy that will cover the cost of service rendered per kilometer by their buses and jeepneys plying on specific routes, in accordance with a set of performance indicators.
Expanding rail, maritime and air transport capacity
Aside from PUVs, Secretary Tugade likewise ordered the Rail Sector to increase passenger capacity by 30 percent to 50 percent.
In the maritime sector and aviation sectors, the Secretary directed agencies to allow more Ro-Ro (roll on and roll off) ferries and more flights to cater to passengers.
Seven Commandments for public transport operators and passengers
In order to curb the spread of Covid-19 amid these developments, DOTr Secretary ordered transport sectors to ensure the strict enforcement of the following 7 Commandments inside public transport, as recommended by health experts: 1) Wear face masks and face shields; 2) No talking and making telephone calls; 3) No eating; 4) Keep PUVs well-ventilated; 5) Conduct of frequent disinfection; 6) No passengers with COVID-19 symptoms are to be allowed inside the public transportation; and 7) Observe appropriate physical distancing (“one-seat-apart”) rule.
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13 October 2020
DOTr, LTFRB, nagbukas ng karagdagang 44 PUJ routes; Karagdagang 4,820 PUJs, makakabiyahe na sa Metro Manila
44 na karagdagang ruta ng Traditional Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) at 4,820 PUJ units ang pinayagan ng LTFRB na pumasada sa Metro Manila. Ito ay nakasaad sa inilabas na Memorandum Circular 2020-058 ng LTFRB noong Sabado, ika-10 ng Oktubre 2020.
Dahil dito, umabot na sa 27,016 traditional PUJs ang bumibiyahe sa 302 ruta sa Metro Manila simula nang ipatupad ang General Community Quarantine (GCQ).
Samantala, narito ang bilang ng mga ruta at PUV na bumibiyahe sa Metro Manila simula 01 Hunyo 2020:
1. TRADITIONAL PUBLIC UTILITY JEEPNEY (PUJ)
No. of routes opened: 302
No. of authorized units: 27,016
2. MODERN PUBLIC UTILITY JEEPNEY (PUJ)
No. of routes opened: 48
No. of authorized units: 845
3. PUBLIC UTILITY BUS (PUB)
No. of routes: 34
No. of authorized units: 4,016
4. POINT-TO-POINT BUS (P2P)
No. of routes opened: 34
No. of authorized units: 387
5. UV EXPRESS
No. of routes opened: 76
No. of authorized units: 3,263
6. TAXI
No. of authorized units: 20,927
7. TRANSPORT NETWORK VEHICLES SERVICES (TNVS)
No. of authorized units: 24,356
8. PROVINCIAL PUBLIC UTILITY BUS (PUB)
No. of routes opened: 12
No. of authorized units: 286
9. MODERN UV Express
No. of routes opened: 2
No. of authorized units: 40
Tinitiyak ng LTFRB na patuloy ang pagbubukas ng mga ruta para sa mga Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga pasahero sa gitna ng pandemya.