President Rodrigo Duterte has maintained the one-meter physical distancing policy between commuters, Malacañang announced on Saturday.
The face mask and face shield-wearing policy will be implemented alongside the distancing rule.
Duterte has also barred talking and eating in public transportation.
“Ang desisyon ng ating presidente ay panatilihin po muna ang one-meter social distancing sa pampublikong transportasyon na sasamahan din ng pagsuot ng mask, ng face shield, bawal po ang salita at bawal po ang pagkain at pagsa-sanitize po ng mga pampublikong transportasyon,” Palace spokesman Harry Roque said in a PTV interview.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that adhering to the guidelines can provide “99 percent” protection from the coronavirus.
“Kapag ikaw ay nagsuot ng mask you can have about 67 percent protection from being infected. Kapag nagsuot ka ng face shield nadadagdagan pa ng porsiyento para ikaw ay maprotektahan. Pero pag sinamahan mo pa ng physical distancing itong dalawang minimum health standard na ito, tumataas hanggang 99 percent ang proteksyon mo sa virus na ito,” she said in a Laging Handa briefing.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said it woule comply with Duterte’s directive.
“We shall aggressively comply and strictly enforce the one-meter physical distancing in all public transport as envisioned and mandated,” it said in a statement.
The DOTr earlier reduced the required distance between commuters to 0.75 meters, but revoked the rule after Cabinet officials failed to reach a consensus. John Ezekiel J. Hirro