If the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) allows buses and trains to partially operate, only 30 percent of its capacity will be allowed to do so, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said on Wednesday.

In a virtual press conference, Tugade said the IATF is discussing the matter and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) provided studies during their last meeting on how it should be implemented.

The enhanced community quarantine, which the government imposed on March 17, to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease2019 (COVID-19), was to have lapsed on April 15 but was extended up to April 30.

“If we will have partial operability of public transportation, especially buses, they will not operate on full capacity but only 30 percent of its total capacity so that social distancing will be observed,” he said.

This will hold true for Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 and 2, Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 and Philippine National Railways (PNR).

“If the IATF will allow us, we will conduct partial operability,” he said.

Tugade said social distancing should also be observed and while passengers wait in lines their temperatures will still be checked.

For inter-island ferries, Tugade said they are studying its possible operation depending on the IATF’s recommendation.

“If the situation justifies its (operation), then we will recommend it to the IATF,” Tugade said.

During the enhanced community quarantine, public transportation was not allowed to operate.

The government said social distancing, which is one of the measures to prevent coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is difficult to observe in public transport when the community quarantine was implemented. Ella Dionisio/DMS