The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has allowed the gradual resumption of public transportation in areas under General Community Quarantine (GCC) throughout the country. Nevertheless, they have taken a lot of measures in order to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. The latest of which is the LTFRB Memorandum Circular No. 2021-041 which is about the use of the StaySafe app for all PUVs.
The LTFRB memorandum is in compliance with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 87, series of 2020. It requires public transportation units to secure a Safety Seal which includes the integration of the StaySafe app in their operations.
Now that the use of the StaySafe contact tracing mobile app for PUVs is mandatory, PUV operators are required to shift their contact tracing method from the manual forms to the mobile app. All public utility vehicle (PUV) operators are given 30 days to comply with the following guidelines:
- Register in the app and create their own QR code.
- Display the QR code at the entrance door and inside the vehicle for the convenience of passengers.
- Require all passengers to use the code when boarding the vehicle.
- Make the data available to the LTFRB when needed.
- Coordinate with the StaySafe app for assistance in collecting and using data collected in contact tracing.
According to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), “failure to comply herewith shall be considered as violation of the IATF Health protocols, and the corresponding penalties shall be imposed.”
Furthermore, the agency has reminded the public to comply with the existing “7 commandments” in all public transportation. To reiterate, the 7 commandments are the following:
- Wear face mask and face shield;
- Do not talk even on the phone;
- Do not eat or drink;
- Secure proper ventilation;
- Perform frequent disinfection;
- Prohibit symptomatic passenger;
- Observe physical distancing.
