Manila trains to remain at 70% capacity; passengers to undergo random antigen testing

All train lines in Metro Manila will remain operating at 70% capacity even with the shift back into a COVID-19 Alert Level 3, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced Sunday.

In an advisory, the DOTr said it would continue to enforce health protocols aboard trains and various rail facilities such as stations and depots, along with random antigen tests on passengers.

“As recommended by our railways sector, all rail lines will maintain the present 70% passenger capacity under the Alert Level 3 status, provided that strict health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will be enforced,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

“This is to avoid the ‘bottlenecking’ or crowding of passengers at stations, which may increase the risk of virus transmission,” he added.

The National Capital Region will be placed under an Alert Level 3 starting Monday, January 3, until January 15, 2022, following the steep increase in new COVID-19 infections in the country.

According to Tugade, any adjustments or changes in the passenger capacity will be subject to the guidance of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

Rail lines will also implement random antigen testing of consenting and volunteering passengers, as the company seeks to gauge the level of COVID-19 presence in the rail lines.

“The random antigen testing of consenting and volunteering passengers is intended to guide us in the adoption of any further needed measures,” Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John “TJ” Batan said in the same statement.

“Passengers who volunteer to be tested will be permitted to proceed with their trip after testing, and will be informed of their test results by text message,” he added.

The DOTr said it also required all rail personnel to undergo antigen testing, with physical reporting limited to 60%. It would also verify the vaccination and booster status of all rail personnel. — DVM, GMA News