DOTr bares routes of buses transporting health workers

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday bared the routes of buses which are deployed to pick up frontline health workers amid the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

In a press statement, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said ten buses would be deployed at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) and at the BFCT East Metro Transport Terminal in Marikina City beginning 7 a.m. of March 18.

These buses, which will be free of charge, will transport health workers to their designated hospitals with the following routes:

Route 1: (PITX - Quezon City General Hospital via Makati/Pasig)

PITX

• Makati Medical Center
• St. Lukes Medical Center - BGC
• Rizal Medical Center
• The Medical City - Ortigas
• East Avenue Medical Center
• Philippine Heart Center
• Lung Center of the Philippines
• Quezon City General Hospital

Route 2: (PITX - San Lazaro / Chinese General Hospital via Manila/Taft)

PITX

• Pasay City General Hospital
• Adventist Medical Center Manila
• Philippine General Hospital
• Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center
• Manila Doctors Hospital
• University of Sto. Tomas Hospital
• San Lazaro Hospital
• Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center
• Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center
• Route 3: (BFCT - San Lazaro Hospital via East Ave/E. Rodriguez)

BFCT

• Quirino Memorial Medical Center
• East Avenue Medical Center
• Philippine Heart Center
• Lung Center of the Philippines
• Providence Hospital
• Capitol Medical Center
• St. Lukes Medical Center - East Ave.
• University of Sto. Tomas Hospital
• San Lazaro Hospital

According to the DOTr, the routes are still subject to change depending on the advice of the Department of Health.

Meanwhile, the agency ensured that the bus service will comply with the protocols, which include social distancing among passengers, body temperature checks and regular sanitation of services, to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.

On the other hand, Grab president Brian Cu vowed to help DOTr to transport health workers to the hospitals, noting that they will not also be charged for the ride.

Further, the DOTr will also set up an operations center for a motorpool for use of officials of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

This is to provide swift and unhampered mobility of the task force while the enhanced community quarantine is being enforced, according to the DOTr.

President Rodrigo Duterte placed Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine amid the rising number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Following this order, all kinds of mass public transportation have been suspended as strict home quarantine in all households is being enforced. — RSJ, GMA News