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More passengers expected to use LRT-2 due to lifting of COVID-19 protocols

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Jose Carretero, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Passengers traveling via the LRT-2 Araneta Center-Cubao station in Quezon City wear face masks in light of the upheld mask mandate within train lines on April 25, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/05/02/20230425-lrt2-mask-mandate-md-4.jpg"/><figcaption>Passengers traveling via the LRT-2 Araneta Center-Cubao station in Quezon City wear face masks in light of the upheld mask mandate within train lines on April 25, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- More passengers are expected to use the Light Rail Transit 2 stations with the lifting of the State of Public Health Emergency in the country.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the Proclamation No. 297 on Friday, lifting the issued memoranda in line with the state of public health emergency. This would mean that the state of public health emergency is now rescinded.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/22/23/marcos-lifts-covid-19-public-health-emergency">Marcos lifts COVID-19 public health emergency</a></li></ul>LRTA Administrator Atty. Hernando Cabrera said that with the lifting of public health emergency, those who don’t want to go out due to the restrictions, especially in crowded places and transport hubs, will now go out and use public transportations like LRT.“Ang mangyayari diyan, actually, with natanggal na itong mga restrictions magsu-shoot up itong mga riderships natin kasi ... &#x27;Yung mga ayaw lumabas kasi may mga restrictions makakalabas na,” Cabrera added.Cabrera said an additional 30,000 to 50,000 passengers is expected from the 150,000 daily passengers.LRTA had 180,000 to 200,000 daily passengers before the pandemic.With the lifting of the state of public health emergency, Cabrera said, they immediately ordered the lifting of health protocols implemented among passengers, especially the wearing of face masks.&quot;Ang pasahero natin online na lahat &#x27;yan may access na sila sa lahat ng information. They are aware na ni-lift na ng presidente yung mga restrictions. So pagpunta ng pasahero sa istasyon na pinigilan siya ng guard na wala siyang face mask, maga-away lang silang dalawa,&quot; said Cabrera.&quot;So kami, proactive kami dun sa ginawa namin. Immediately, sinabihan namin ang guard na voluntary na ang facemask. Kapag may pumasok na may naka-facemask, okay lang. &#x27;Pag pumasok na walang facemask, okay din lang,&quot; he added.&quot;We have to prevent untoward incidents, like altercation between guard at saka yung pasahero.&quot;Others restrictions like social distancing was also rescinded.Passengers are now allowed to pick up their calls while inside the train and they can now exchange talks while inside the train.Some passengers welcomed the lifting of restrictions in public transport like LRT.Among them is Jemimah Coleen Simon.“Mas okay po kasi mas nakakahinga na ako tapos yung make up ko po mas okay na,” she said.But some still opted to wear face mask like lady guard Mitzi Tarrayo. She is still afraid especially she is exposed to many passengers daily.“Magpi-face mask parin po ako dahil takot po ako na magkaroon pa ng COVID,” Tarrayo said.According to Dr. Rontgene Solante, the President of the Philippine College of Physicians and an infectious disease expert, despite the lifting of restrictions, it is still important for the vulnerable population to wear face mask.These are the elderly, pregnant women and those with co-morbidities as they are still prone to severe COVID-19 infection.“Talagang magiging kampante ang mga tao neto. Nakikita natin ngayon even yet nang hindi pa na lift ang public health emergency marami na ang nagtatangal. But again, we will continue na kung ano man ang natatandaan natin with the pandemic, huwag natin itong kalimutan especially protecting ourselves and part of that is wearing the face mask when you are a high risk individuals,&quot; he said.But Solante said he doesn&#x27;t see a significant surge in COVID-19 anymore.“I don&#x27;t see any events related with significant surge of cases in the coming months. Mainly one is that I think the population immunity has been very stable now with majority of individuals received their primary vaccinations and including booster... There are elements of being exposed that can add also to the immunity of people, that&#x27;s why most of the time our infection of COVID are mostly mild,” he added.For health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon, the lifting of public health emergency in the country is beneficial to the economy and tourism.“Kasi hindrance siya or barrier siya for tourism, kung makikita natin tayo pa ay mayroong state of public health emergency ang investors at turista ay maaring hindi pumunta or kung pumunta man ay hindi ganon ka full swing,” Dr. Leachon said.But Leachon stressed, there is still a need to intensify vaccination among residents especially the administration of booster shots due to the waning immunity from the vaccines.“Kasi ayon sa pag-aaral ang ating wall of immunity humihina 6 months hanggang12 months after the last vaccination and then yung Omicron sub variant ay lumalabas pa rin [in]other countries, so magkakaroon parin tayo ng surges,” he added.While the need to follow health protocols have been rescinded, health experts is still urging residents not to neglect the basic health protocols they’ve been used to during the height of the pandemic, like the frequent hand washing and using of sanitizer and alcohol for these will help deter spread of the virus.<div>RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2730626" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

More passengers are expected to use the Light Rail Transit 2 stations with the lifting of the State of Public Health Emergency in the country.

More passengers expected to use LRT-2 due to lifting of COVID-19 protocols

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More passengers expected to use LRT-2 due to lifting of COVID-19 protocols

Jose Carretero,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 23, 2023 05:49 PM PHT

|

Updated Jul 24, 2023 10:15 AM PHT

Read More:

COVID-19

coronavirus

State of Public Health Emergency

public transportation

LRTA

LRT-2

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