EDITORIAL - Raising PUV capacity

For many people, the reaction to the announced increase in capacity limits in mass transport vehicles to 75 percent is most likely, “You mean it was just 50 percent?”

The increase to 75 percent, beginning Nov. 4, was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. On the light rail and commuter trains, regular riders expressed concern about the risk of infection with the increased capacity. Distancing has been properly enforced with visual markers inside the trains. Enforcement, however, is less efficient in the long lines for the rides.

Capacity enforcement is slightly better in buses. But enforcement is almost non-existent in jeepneys, especially during rush hour. Only the plastic sheets put a bit of distance between passengers, probably because people are worried about catching germs sticking to the plastic.

Health experts have long expressed concern about such scenes that pose infection risks in public utility vehicles. The near-full capacities aren’t even done on the sly, since no one is checking anyway. With the 70 percent capacity approved, and with the plastic sheets no longer required, we may see some PUVs 100 percent full.

While COVID vaccinations have gone up in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces, health experts are constantly reminding the public that there are still too many unvaccinated people particularly children. And the highly contagious Delta variant has shown a scary ability to break through vaccines.

While most of those who suffer breakthrough infections have been asymptomatic or have had symptoms mild enough not to require hospitalization, a few have landed in critical care and some, particularly those with comorbidities, have died.

The World Health Organization has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic is “far from finished.” This is especially so in countries such as the Philippines with inadequate healthcare systems and where the vaccine rollout has been slow.

While PUV drivers and operators need to have their livelihoods fully revived, especially with soaring fuel prices, another infection surge can restore mobility restrictions. If the government wants a calibrated easing of restrictions on mass transportation, it must be able to enforce compliance with the capacities it has set.