TUBLAY, Benguet – The municipal government regulated the operation of mass public transportation going in and out of the municipality to provide gradual mobility for the residents and the workers in the essential sectors following the downgrading of the town’s status from the previous enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ.
Mayor Armando Lauro disclosed there are 6 units of public utility jeepneys to ply the Acop-Baguio route from 5 am to 6:30 pm, 5 units will ply the Acop to Km. 6 in La Trinidad route, particularly in the gasoline station in the said area during the same time.
He claimed the last trip coming from Baguio City and Km. 6, La Trinidad, Benguet, should start from the said areas at around 6:30 pm to ensure the passengers will be in the municipality before 7 pm to catch up with the available garage services to the different barangays which have been scheduled to leave Acop at around 7 pm.
The municipal chief executive pointed out that the operation of mass public transportation in the municipality will be from Mondays to Saturdays only as every Sunday is on total lockdown with no businesses allowed to operate pursuant to existing guidelines issued for the said purpose.
On the other hand, Lauro stated the last trip of jeepneys leaving the municipality for Baguio and Km. 6 will be around 5:30 pm.
According to him, the municipal government also allowed the operation of garage services from Acop to the three staging areas but the number of units will be limited to 3 vehicles per area.
However, Mayor Lauro reminds that mandatory physical distancing will be observed in all public utility vehicles that are allowed to temporarily operate during the GCQ for the transportation of residents and workers who are allowed to work in the essential businesses authorized to operate under the prevailing transition period.
He added the operation of the garage services will be from 5 am to 7 pm Mondays to Saturdays while awaiting the decision of the national inter-agency task force for the management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases on the further downgrading of the GCQ status of Benguet to modified GCQ by June.
Lauro said the municipality remains to be free from the dreaded Corona virus Disease (COVID) 2019 because of the cooperation of the residents to the strict implementation of the policies for them to stay at home during the ECQ period and the observance of physical distancing at all times and the mandatory wearing of face masks.
He cited that the municipal government remains vigilant in monitoring the entry of individuals in the municipality, especially those from the ECQ areas ad Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), to ensure that they are healthy to prevent the possible spread of the deadly virus in the municipality.
By Hent
