Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday asked for public’s understanding as the government cannot immediately open all modes of public transportation under general community quarantine status in Metro Manila.

Año made the appeal after workers who wanted to return to work were stranded, especially in Commonwealth, Quezon City area, due to the lack of public transportation such as buses and jeepneys.

“We are doing phasing by phasing. Just a little patience because it’s hard to immediately allow everything and then we will go back to ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) again,” Año said in a press briefing at Malacañang.

“We just appeal for understanding and we will get over this (situation). It’s good that we are now GCQ and hoping that we will not return back to ECQ or modified ECQ,” he added.

According to the guidelines released by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) passenger buses and public utility jeepneys were not allowed to resume  operations, only trains and bus augmentation, taxis, transport network vehicle services, shuttle services, point-to-point buses, and bicycles are allowed to ferry commuters from June 1 to 21.

In the second phase, which will be from June 22 to 30, the government will allow public utility buses, modern public utility vehicles (PUVs) or jeepneys, and UV Express vehicles.

Aside from lack of transportation and stranded workers, heavy traffic was also seen on the stretch of EDSA during the first day of GCQ in Metro Manila.

On  the part of the Philippine National Police, General Archie Francisco Gamboa encouraged all police units to offer free shuttle service to help ease the lack of available transportation under GCQ.

Gamboa said though they have limited number of trucks, their “Libreng Sakay” (free ride) program is still ongoing and they have regular travel from north to south and south to north.

“I think we have regular travels from Bacoor, Cavite and from Navotas on a daily basis… We have encouraged our lower units to do so also… I think NCR (National Capital Region Police Office) is also doing it,” he said.

“We know that under GCQ, a certain portion of mass transportation is allowed so we expect also that public transportation is available but of course still limited… until now our Libreng Sakay continues,” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte last week ordered the shifting of ECQ to GCQ in Metro Manila and other areas in Luzon to help the economy as more establishments are allowed to operate under GCQ . Ella Dionisio/DMS