Drivers and operators will face penalties if failed to implement the wearing of face shield inside the public utility vehicles (PUVs).
Armand Dioso, regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 11 (LTFRB 11) said in a phone interview drivers and operators will face a P5,000 fine for the first offense, P10,000 for the second offense, and P15,000 for the third offense plus suspension of franchise.
“Drivers and operators, if they will not comply or failed to observe the protocol of wearing face shield and pagpasakay sa mga pasahero na walang face shield will be penalized. We will start on August 15 and we are now on the massive information dissemination,” Dioso said.
The Department of Transportation (DoTr) has required all passengers using any mode of public transportation to wear face shields, aside from face masks starting on August 15, 2020.
In a Memorandum Circular (MC) released on August 4, 2020, the DoTr, through its Administrative Service, has ordered all officials and heads of its various transportation sectors to enjoin, within their respective jurisdictions, the mandatory wearing of face shields for all passengers in areas where public transportation is allowed.
The initiative aims to further reduce the risk of transmitting the Covid-19 virus in public transport facilities as health authorities have pointed out that the use of face shields and masks reduces exposure to and emission of respiratory droplets considerably.
“According to DoTr it must be full face shield dapat and all public transportation whether sea, air, and land are required to implement this protocol,” Dioso said.
The LTFRB has recently issued MC No. 2020-031 which states “Requirements for drivers, conductors, and passengers inside PUVs’ with the emphasis on the following guidelines: strictly require all drivers, conductors and passengers of PUVs to wear face masks and face shield/eye protector inside PUVs; failure to wear face mask and face shield/eye protectors shall be reasonable ground to refuse/deny boarding in any PUV; and to refrain from unnecessary talking or making/taking calls while inside PUVs.
