MANILA — The government has provided free rides to stranded commuters in Metro Manila on Wednesday due to continuing monsoon rains.
Through the Joint Quick Response Team (JQRT) under the Department of Transportation (DOTr), several trucks and buses were deployed in the following areas:
- Commonwealth Circle going to Quiapo — four trucks from Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR)
- Monumento to Pedro Gil via Taft Avenue — four trucks from Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
- US Embassy to Baclaran via Roxas Boulevard — another two trucks from PCG
- EDSA/Timog going to Taft Avenue vice versa — two buses from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)
“We rely on MMDA for dispatching. Sila po ang nag-i-identify sa amin kung saan yung nangangailangan ng tulong. Mayroon pa rin po tayong 136 kung saan yung mga nangangailangan po kailangan lang po nilang tawagan ito (They are the ones that identify what areas the vehicles should be deployed. We also have hotline 136 wherein the public may reach us if they need assistance),” JQRT spokesperson Aileen Lizada said in a radio interview.
The MMDA has also lifted the number coding scheme for city and provincial buses. ( Aerol John Pateña/PNA)