Plastic dividers no longer needed in local PUJs starting Monday

Starting Monday, Dec. 6, public utility jeepneys (PUJs) plying the Summer Capital’s streets no longer need  to have plastic dividers inside their vehicles as added protection against the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

This was the consensus reached during the meeting, Dec. 1, of local PUJ groups with concerned city officials led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong at the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

Instead of plastic dividers, they agreed that either red or yellow colored numbers will be put instead at the seats of the vehicles.

The drivers and operators were reminded to strictly adhere with minimum public health standards and that these be imposed on their passengers.

Since the city is currently under Alert Level 2, they were also ordered to only have their jeepneys  filled to 70 percent capacity with only one passenger allowed in the front seat with the driver.      

The group complained that several PUJs  still continue to fill their vehicles to full capacity in violation of the directive which the officials said will be immediately looked into.

The mayor said that hopefully there will come a day when the PUJ groups can be able to police their own ranks or that everyone will be disciplined enough to follow rules without being told to do so.

“We should inculcate in ourselves the virtue of discipline and to do what is right,” he said.

Also in the meeting were Engr. John Borillo of the City Engineering Office traffic and transportation division; Engr. Ted Tan, traffic and transportation management committee consultant;  P/Maj. Roldan Cabatan of the BCPO traffic division; and Atty. Althea Alberto of the City Mayor’s Office.
Alberto said that the technical working  group on the matter composed of Borillo, Tan and Cabatan will be releasing an advisory for the uniform standard of signages  to be installed in the PUJs. – Gaby B. Keith