14 business group supports reduced physical distancing

Fourteen (14) local and foreign business groups have expressed support to the implementation of reduced physical distance between passengers in public transportation.

This new protocol was adopted and approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), upon the recommendation of the Economic Development Council (EDC) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

These 14 organizations include the Bankers Association of the Philippines, #BounceBackPH, Foundation for Economic Freedom, IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Philippine Business for Education, Restaurant Owners of the Philippines, and Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc.

Moreover, several foreign business groups such as American, Canadian, European, and Japanese chambers of commerce, as well as the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies’ Regional Operating Headquarters, Inc., have also backed the proposal.

According to the business organizations, “The 7 Commandments”, or the combination of health measures to manage viral transmissions, can be adopted while easing commuter distancing.

“Backed by science and global best practices, this combination of health measures will be one of the strictest in the world and will enable better public transport:

(1) wearing of proper face mask;

(2) wearing of face shields;

(3) no talking and eating;

(4) adequate ventilation;

(5) frequent and proper disinfection;

(6) no symptomatic passengers; and

(7) appropriate physical distancing,” the business groups said.

“We believe a combination of these measures will be amongst the most comprehensive in the world. By ensuring strict enforcement, we would be able to relax physical distancing requirements in order to increase our current public transport capacity, while minimizing the spread of the virus,” the business groups added.