This Week in Metro Manila (June 13 to 19, 2020)

In a Facebook announcement, the local government of Taguig City stated last June 6 that the 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM curfew is still in place during the general community quarantine under Taguig’s Ordinance No. 7, series 2020. Residents are encouraged to remain indoors if not on important errands, commuting to and from work, and in emergency situations [1].

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has allowed restaurants in GCQ areas to resume dine-in services starting June 15. Conditions for the resumption include operating at 30 percent capacity, setting tables 1.5 meters apart, and installing plastic or acrylic barriers between customers. Other health protocols such as mandatory face masks and regular disinfection will be implemented. This recommendation shall still be endorsed to President Rodrigo Duterte for his approval.

Dine-in services allow more workers who have been struggling due to work-from-home restrictions. Restaurants have ceased dine-in services since March in order to lessen the spread of COVID-19.

Passengers of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3’s (MRT-3) Bus Augmentation Program can expect buses to be deployed on a fixed interval of five minutes from designated pick-up and drop-off points along the MRT-3 line. The program, which was launched last June 1, deploys at least 90 buses from 5:30 AM to 8:00 PM. The pick-up points are located in North Avenue and Quezon Avenue in Quezon City, Taft Avenue in Manila, and Ayala in Makati.

According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the bus program aims to offset the reduced capacity of the MRT-3 due to the implementation of the one-meter physical distancing rule inside trains [2]. Since its implementation, the program has carried 4,383 passengers in need of transportation to go to their workplaces.

The local government of Mandaluyong City provides a shuttle service to commuters in the area. The city’s Public Information Office announced the shuttle service routes and schedule on their Facebook page last June 5. The shuttle was launched to help residents who are returning to work after businesses and work resumed under the general community quarantine (GCQ) [3].

The service will operate from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM with routes along Boni-Pioneer, Aglipay, Kalentong, Shaw, EDSA, Julia Vargas, San Miguel, Sheridan, and back. Drivers and commuters are required to follow strict safety protocols such as mandatory wearing of face masks and social distancing.

Additional bus routes were approved by the DOTr and the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on June 8. The four new bus routes include Monumento to Valenzuela Gateway Complex (Route 3); Monumento to San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan (Route 21); Gilmore to Taytay (Route 11); and Buendia to BGC (Route 13).

The routes that were opened previously are as follows:

• Route 1: Monumento to Balagtas, Bulacan

• Route 17: EDSA to Montalban, Rizal

• Route 18: Parañaque International Terminal Exchange to Ninoy Aquino International Airport Loop

• Route 5: Angat to Quezon Ave.

• Route 28: Dasmariñas, Cavite to National Capital Region

• Route 9: Cubao-Antipolo (to augment LRT-2)

• Route 17: EDSA Taft-Monumento (to augment LRT-1)

• Portion of Route E: EDSA Carousel (to augment MRT-3)

The routes were added to provide more buses to commuters as public transportation remains limited under GCQ in Metro Manila [4].

The liquor ban in Manila was lifted last June 8. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso signed Executive No. 26, which lifts the alcohol ban that has been implemented in Manila during the enhanced community quarantine. The ordinance covers the sale and use of liquor but Domagoso stressed that drinking in public places and selling of liquor to minors are still prohibited [5].

The Greenhills Shopping Center changed the layout of its ‘tiangge’ stalls in order to follow safety measures. The stalls are divided into a cluster of four walls, and plastic cover was placed between the stalls and the entrance. Only one customer and one sales person are allowed inside each stall.

Along with the change in stall layouts, vendors and shoppers are required to follow safety protocols. Before they return to work, employees are required to secure a health clearance from the City Health Office. Sales persons and mall staff are required to wear face shields and masks. They must also wear their health clearance and travel pass issued by the local government.

San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora inspected the shopping center last June 4 to make sure that the mall management, stall owners, and mall-goers were following the safety and health protocols required by the IATF [6]. Barangay Greenhills currently has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the city.

Resident pet owners in Taguig City can now avail free consultations for pet care with the use of the Vet Telemedicine program. The local government announced the online consultation program on their Facebook post last June 5 [7]. Pet owners can seek consultations from Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00P M by contacting (02) 8697 1969 or 09776909069. The Vet Telemedicine os one of the Taguig City’s program to provide consultations to residents in the comfort of their own homes.

Go to Yoorekka for more COVID-19 updates in Metro Manila.