“Anti-commuters and anti-labor.”
This is how commuters and labor groups describe the Memorandum Circular 2020-019 issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) which sets the guidelines for the operation of public utility buses under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) period in Metro Manila, which is proposed by the Metro Manila Council to be implemented starting June 1, 2020.
The Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection (LCSP) and Defend Jobs Philippines sought for the suspension of the said LTFRB memo. They called out the attention of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases to halt the implementation of the bus guidelines as this will pose huge risks not just to the health and safety of our riding public but also to the jobs and livelihoods of workers in the bus transportation industry.
On the said memo, the LTFRB will impose single synchronized route and has already identified and rationalized some 31 routes with a total of 4,600 authorized units. Part of this figure is a special route referred as the EDSA Loop Service (EDSA Carousel) which only has 550 authorized units that will cater hundreds of thousands of passengers along EDSA with each bus only carrying half of its usual capacity.
According to Atty. Ariel Inton, LCSP President, “the implementation of this LTFRB memo will add another burden to the commuters as they will need to transfer from one bus to another and at the same time pay additional fare instead of riding and paying for just a single ride with lesser fare.”
He added that aside from the economic costs, “crafting more drop off and pickup points of passengers compared to their usual travel will mean increasing the exposure of our riding public to the risk of being infected by the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, Defend Jobs Philippines fears reports that some 10,000 workers comprised of bus crews and its office employees will lose their jobs as under the said LTFRB memo, the card tap system will be utilized that will mean no more bus conductors will be needed on plying buses. According to the groups, some studies revealed that Metro bus companies are currently employing some 15,000 workers.
Thadeus Ifurung, Defend Jobs Philippines said, “Aside from the possible direct impacts of the memo to the jobs of thousands of workers in the bus transport sector, other employees in various businesses related to it from its suppliers of parts, upholsteries, dealers, machine stores, upto those ambulant vendors selling their stuffs on buses will likewise suffer once this LTFRB’s plan gains its grounds.”
On Wednesday, Transportation Department Road Sector Consultant, Alberto Suansing, said that city buses and modern jeepneys will only be deployed by June 21 onwards “to control the volume of commuters.” Inton said that they are set to file a temporary restraining order at proper courts once the LTFRB Memo 2020-019 will be implemented.
A transport network vehicle service group, LABAN TNVS meanwhile said that they are ready to extend support and offer free rides to possible stranded commuters on Monday due to the shortage of public mode of mass transport which will be allowed to operate on the first day of the GCQ.