Hontiveros urges gov't: Adopt service contracting for public transpo to avert 'commuter crisis' in GCQ areas

Senator Risa Hontiveros today urged government to adopt a service contracting program with the transportation sector to prevent a looming commuter crisis, and ensure that there will be enough buses, jeeps, and other public transportation in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ).

"Hindi dapat maging 'new normal' ang mahirap, matagal at delikadong commute para sa ating mga mananakay. Government should immediately tap the private transportation sector and adopt a service contracting scheme, so that more public transport becomes available for Filipinos going back to their jobs and businesses," she said.

The senator made her call after the first day of general community quarantine (GCQ) in Metro Manila saw large numbers of commuters stranded and unable to travel due to limited availability of public transportation. This shortage, Hontiveros noted, has forced commuters to line up in long, crowded lines, or ignore social distancing and other health guidelines just to find ways to get moving.

"The lack of transport options is not just an emerging crisis for commuters, it is also a serious health hazard. Wala ring magagawa ang pag-limit sa pasahero sa mga tren at bus, kung sa kalsada pa lang ay exposed na sila sa health risks habang sila ay nasa mahaba, dikit-dikit at matao na pila," she said.

Hontiveros said that government can better solve the problem through service contracting with operators and drivers of buses, jeeps and other public transportation, as proposed by the #MoveAsOne coalition and other advocacy groups. Under such contracts, operators and drivers will be paid by government a per kilometer fee to ply their routes.

"Subok na ang service contracting, dahil ginawa na ito ng mga local government units (LGUs) para ibyahe ang kanilang mga frontliners sa gitna ng enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). If expanded on a national scale, it will be a great way to immediately increase the passenger capacity of our transport systems in Metro Manila and elsewhere," she said.

The scheme, Hontiveros said, will allow government to better enforce the strict implementation of social distancing and other health guidelines in public transportation vehicles. She added that the fixed fees for drivers and operators will also remove the hazards attached to the current "boundary system."

"By adopting service contracting, we can make our public transport options safer and more efficient for the commuting public at the soonest. At siyempre, muli nang makakapaghanap-buhay ang napakaraming operator, driver at ibang manggagawa sa transportation sector na nawalan ng kita dahil sa pandemiya," Hontiveros said.

Since government may not have the funds to enter into service contracts with all transport providers simultaneously, Hontiveros cited the proposal by the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) that such service arrangements be made on a rotational basis: "Dapat ay wala tayong maiwan na operator o driver lalo na't marami pa rin sa kanila ang hindi makabyahe sa kanilang mga lugar."

"To protect our commuters, government should coordinate with our transport sector to expand, not limit, our public transport options in the weeks to come. Mas maiiwasan natin ang hawaan ng sakit kung mas marami, mas ligtas at mas maluwag ang mga sasakyang pampubliko na babiyahe sa mga siyudad at bayan," she concluded.