Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles yesterday rejected an appeal from Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto to allow tricycles (local motorized rickshaws) to operate during the Luzon-wide coronavirus quarantine on the grounds that adequate social distancing supposedly cannot be followed inside the cramped vehicles.
In a virtual presser held last night, Nograles said they could not wrap their heads around the idea that tricycles are safe to use.
“The government is really concerned because we cannot see or understand how you could practice social distancing inside a tricycle,” Nograles said in English and Filipino.
Hindi ako nakatulog. Iniisip ko kung ano ang mangyayari sa atin kung pipigilan ang pagbiyahe ng tricycle sa Pasig. May #LibrengSakay tayo pero DI NITO KAKAYANIN ANG LIBO-LIBONG HEALTH WORKER AT PASYENTE.
Pls read to see why we believe a total ban on tricycles will endanger lives pic.twitter.com/vPi7LJaKNL
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) March 17, 2020
Nograles suggested that local government units (LGUs) look into other ways to transport healthcare workers and the sick to hospitals.
“If that is the concern of the LGU, the LGU can have initiatives with regard to vehicles without using tricycles. LGUs can use other means of transportation. They have their own vehicles or they can use other people’s vehicles, ask them, or [use] other means,” Nograles said.
“We don’t want your constituents to get infected. You’re saying you’re helping health workers. OK. Isn’t it dangerous for our health workers to get infected and become a carrier, and when they arrive at a health institution they are a carrier [of the virus]?” Nograles added.
Mayor Sotto yesterday appealed to the national government to allow Pasig City to use tricycles to bring health workers and patients to their destinations. He said that while his government can provide some free rides to residents, they do not have enough vehicles to transport everyone to hospitals.
“What will happen if our health workers and thousands of patients needing treatments could not ride [in vehicles]? Are we actually going to let a senior citizen who needs a dialysis treatment walk five kilometers? How about a cancer patient who just had surgery?” Sotto said in a tweet.
“Let us also remember that not everyone has access to private cars. Not to mention that sharing private, enclosed vehicles may actually be more conducive to the spread of the virus; as compared to a tricycle with a maximum of 2 passengers,” Sotto added.
The entirety of Luzon island has been placed on a monthlong “enhanced community quarantine” to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus, which has killed 17 people in the Philippines. Mass transport has been suspended across the island, leaving healthcare workers and others scrambling to find ways to reach their destinations.
