Don’t be the cause of the spread of COVID-19, Tugade tells “colorum” vehicle operators
(Eagle News) — Transportation Secretary Art Tugade warned operators of “colorum” vehicles to stop violating laws and community quarantine restrictions in place and to not be the cause of the spread of COVID-19.
Tugade gave the warning after authorities stopped 12 “colorum” vehicles that had tried to enter different municipalities in Bicol region.
According to the Bicol Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, 79 individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 had used “colorum” vehicles to get to Bicol from Metro Manila.
Meanwhile, an additional seven passengers in “colorum” vehicles stopped in anti-colorum operations from April 1 to 2 also tested positive for COVID-19.
They are already in isolation.
According to the Department of Transportation, under the “colorum” scheme, dispatchers would look for passengers on Facebook, where the “booking” takes place.
Once there are enough passengers, the dispatcher calls the driver, who then picks up the passengers one-by-one from their houses.
“Hindi ‘ho tayo uusad sa ating laban kontra sa COVID kung tahasan nating nilalabag ang mga quarantine protocols. Isantabi muna natin ang pansariling interes para isalba ang buhay ng nakararami. Buhay ‘ho ang pinag-uusapan dito. Buhay ‘ho ang nakataya dito, kaya’t huwag tayong pasaway. Huwag tayong maging daan sa pagkalat ng COVID-19 (We won’t get further in the fight against COVID if we blatantly violate quarantine protocols. Let us set aside our own interests to save the lives of many. We’re talking about life here. Lives are at stake here so don’t be stubborn. Let’s not be the cause of the spread of COVID-19),” Tugade said.