Vice President Leni Robredo asked the government’s task force against COVID-19 if the decision to ease the physical distancing in public transportation amid the pandemic is based on science, Sunday.
“Iyong sa akin lang, nakabase ba ito sa siyensiya? Iyong 0.3 nakabase ba siya sa siyensiya? Kung iyong point nito, iyong mas marami iyong kita ng drivers, na okay naman, pero may ibang mas epektibong paraan,” the VP said in her weekly radio show.
(As for me, is it science-based? Is 0.3 science-based? If the point of this decision is so drivers could earn more, which is okay, but there are other more effective ways.)
“Ako, baka mayroon naman silang basehan. Actually, noong nabasa ko iyong balita kahapon, naghahanap ako ng datos na nagsasabi na okay iyong less than 1 meter, pero wala akong nahanap. So hindi natin alam kung ano iyong basis ng DOTr,” Robredo said.
(For me, maybe they have a basis. Actually, when I read your news yesterday, I was looking for data that says that less than 1 meter is okay, but I did not find anything. So we do not know what the basis of DOTr is.)
The reduction of physical distancing, which begins today, September 14, aims to “optimize” and increase the carrying capacity of public transport vehicles, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said.
Robredo asks if eased physical distancing is based on science
The task force against COVID-19 defended its decision to ease the social distancing between passengers of public transportation, noting the health protocols in place were enough to prevent the spread of the virus.
The physical distancing would be lessened from one meter to 0.75 meters and could be reduced further starting September 28 and to 0.3 meters beginning October 12.
Vice President Robredo also renewed her call for service contracting in the public transportation sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Bayaran sila (drivers), hindi nakabase sa ilang pasahero ang nakasakay. Kasi kapag nakabase sa ilang pasahero ang nakasakay, parating maghahabol ng boundary iyon. Sana service contracting, para mas madali ma-impose iyong social distancing,” she explained.
(Pay the drivers not based on how many passengers are on board. Because when their earning is based on a few passengers, they will always chase for that boundary. Hopefully, we can implement service contracting so it would be easier to impose your social distancing.)