The government leaders who craft policies that allowed return to work but prohibited public transport do not care. They are numb to commuters’ suffering. They obviously do not commute to work. They have not walked on EDSA to know sidewalks are non-existent. They had to let workers go back to work because they need the economy running because they can’t provide aid to the people anymore. They really don’t have their plans made up just yet.
These are just some of the sentiments of people who experienced the commute or learned of commuters’ stories on the first day of the general community quarantine (GCQ) in Metro Manila after 77 days of lockdown.
Media reports on commuter experience were disgruntling to say the least– patients who cannot find a ride to the hospital had to walk, commuters who had to wait in line for three hours to board the train, and those who were able to catch a bus or train but was allowed to alight in a few designated stops and still had to walk, among many other stories.
Jeepney transport group PISTON called out the government’s lack of compassion to the riding public for not allowing jeepneys back on the road and also to drivers and operators whose lack of income for more than two months is extended beyond the lockdown and could lead to their phaseout.
Meanwhile, in a radio interview, Atty. Ariel Inton of the Lawyers for Commuters’ Safety and Protection said only a few can afford taxis or Grab and not all people live near EDSA to be able to access and ride the buses the government allowed. He also said they will sue the Department of Transportation, Land Transport Franchising and Regulatory Board and Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and everyone who had a hand in the public transportation policy under GCQ.
“Noong normal na sitwasyon nga lang hirap na hirap nang sumakay. Paano pa ngayong reduced capacity at walang public transportation?” Inton said.
[When the situation was normal, people already found it hard to commute. How much more now that there is reduced capacity and no public transportation?]
Netizens complained of the commute experience and empathized with those who had to go back to work while the issue of public transportation has not been addressed by government.
why are we letting fuckers who have not experienced commuting make the rules for transportation. THEY DON’T KNOW SHIT.
— wary (@warysanchhh) June 1, 2020
Sana kasama sa mga gumagawa ng desisyon sa mga panahong ito tungkol sa pampublikong transportasyon eh yung mga nagco-commute talaga. At yung mga pwersadong nang maghanap ng pagkakakitaan ngayon kahit kumakalat pa ang virus.
— Atom Araullo (@atomaraullo) June 1, 2020
Woooow! Sana ganun din sila ka urgent ngayong we face Public transportation and health issues. People are still dying everyday. Risks are in the hands of every commuter. Baka kaya naman? #JunkTerrorBill#ActivismisnotTerrorism https://t.co/5dDCnXrjRQ
— para sa BAYAN, para kay Juan #JUNKTERRORBILL (@janluis77) June 1, 2020
Omg my commute was legit 25x more expensive due to lack of public transport
— is that a banana in your pocket? (@StevieBoy81) June 1, 2020
They don’t care. Sa simpleng strategic na loading and unloading stations lang naman sana maaayos to. Example yung parang sa sakayan ng jeep UP diliman. May stoping slot yung bawat jeep na iba route. Kaso they don’t care. The gov’t doesn’t care because they don’t commute!
— Rica Chu (@ricantatata) June 1, 2020
The struggle is real again. This time dalawa ang problem mo as commuter. (1) the stress of commuting, and (2) the potential threat of CoVID19.
That former had been the problem before. In the words of Panelo, agahan niyo na lang daw kasi makakarating pa naman kayo. Mga 2AM siguro. https://t.co/gzooupv2N1— Joar Concha (@joarGEOUSness) May 31, 2020
Ang sisisihin na naman dito ay ang mga commuter. Pasaway daw at walang disiplina… kawawa naman kaming mga walang sasakyan. https://t.co/9wXgjLYmo6
— Mark Lennard Cani (@Sir_Benok26) June 1, 2020
Pasensya na po ksi napaka manhid namin. Pasensya na po ksi di namin alam gaano kahirap maging commuter. Pasensya na po kasi di namin alam ang hirap nang pagiging driver. Pasensya na po ksi wla pala kayong sasakyan papasok ng trabaho. Pasensya na po ksi wala tlaga kaming plano. https://t.co/tnXBmUAuPn
— Brenda (@allegryofdcave) June 1, 2020
