OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental (PIA)—As part of the guidelines set by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on social distancing on vehicles, Mayor Sancho Fernando Oaminal here asked DOTr Assistant Secretary Goddess Hope Libiran during “Laging Handa Network Briefing” to exempt immediate family members from the “no back ride” policy of the National Inter-agency Taskforce on COVID-19 (IATF).
Sharing his concern over Ozamiz residents living in upland barangays whose only mode of transportation is motorcycle or habal habal, the mayor said since implementation of the no back ride policy, the residents coming down to city proper would resort to walking for extended time.
The local government tried to provide vehicles, however, the city could not serve all the 70,000 residents in upland barangays of the city.
Many households and families in the city rely on motorcycles as a means of transportation to and from work and to visit establishments where they can get their essentials, like supermarkets, pharmacies, and wet markets.
In response, Libiran said she would relay this to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Allowing exemptions though, Libiran said, would just lead to an “enforcement nightmare,” as others will also clamor to be exempted.
Further, it will defeat the purpose of asking people to just stay at home. “No uniformity of rules, no order,” the DOTr Assistant Secretary explained.
Libiran said that we need to follow the rules and policies of the government to uphold order and uniformity.
The DOTr is implementing health and safety protocols when it comes to public transportation in areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) and general community quarantine (GCQ). (SMRN/PIA10)
