Malacañang denied on Wednesday that the government is giving priority to private vehicles over public transportation amid easing quarantine restrictions, particularly in Metro Manila.

In an interview over ANC, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said public health is the main consideration of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases in making its decision as to which the modes of transportation would be allowed to ply the streets.

"The priority of the IATF is still public health, that is why as far as transportation is concerned, it's not just cars that are being given priority," he said, citing that in Metro Manila, the Department of Transportation has allowed the Philippine National Railway, Metro Rail Transit Line 3, buses, Transport Network Vehicle Service, and taxis to operate.

"It's not true that the favored mode of transportation is private because I think we know that majority of the people still don't have access to private transportation," he stressed.

Many commuters, particularly in Metro Manila, have been complaining the lack of public transportation, including jeepneys.

The IATF has not yet allowed traditional jeepneys to operate, citing the health risk as passengers have to sit facing each other.

Roque reiterated that under the hierarchy of public transportation, the traditional jeepneys are at the bottom.

He said traditional jeepneys would only be used if there is insufficient public transportation once all the modern jeepneys and UV Express vehicles are allowed to operate.

But quoting Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board Chairman Martin Delgra III, Roque said they were looking on the possibility of allowing traditional jeepneys to operate again and the decision could be made within the month. Celerina Monte/DMS