MANILA, Philippines – Senator Grace Poe on Monday called for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers to protect them, their families and the commuters once they hit the roads anew. “Adequate safeguards and support must be in place if our PUV drivers must hit the road under the reduced capacity protocol,” Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services, said in a statement. ADVERTISEMENT“To protect not only them but also our commuting public, our drivers must be included in the mandatory COVID-19 testing without out-of-pocket expense,” she added. The National Public Transport Coalition (NPTC) is also calling for mandatory COVID-19 testing of drivers returning to work to reduce the risk of the virus transmission. “At most, we propose that all persons who will go back to work should undergo a mandatory COVID-19 testing to minimize the risks of not only the drivers and passengers, but also other front liners,” the group added.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 04, 2020 00:22 UTC