This is What Metro Manila Looks Like on the First Day of GCQ
by Sherry Tadeja, June 03, 2020 3:02pm
Art by Dani Elevazo
On June 1, Monday, with the approval of the government and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Metro Manila officially shifted to General Community Quarantine (GCQ).
The move is also to bring the country's economy back up after it plummeted down due to the three-month lockdown that started early March. However, with the restriction in types of transportation allowed, physical distancing, and a huge number of commuters all at once, we were reminded it was the Metro Manila we dreaded but now riskier, and with more people stranded.
Here's Day 1 of GCQ as told by netizens through social media:
This netizen shared a bumper-to-bumper photo of private vehicles along EDSA, Taft.
Felt like an ordinary day...and we’re even not in GCQ yet...well at least the sky was really nice to look at ny the way #traffic#QuarantineDiaries#QuarantineLife#ontheroad#skypic.twitter.com/c1G7teyTcI
— Chieo (@LifestylerChieo) May 30, 2020
Another is an aerial view in EDSA, Guadalupe. More cars have clumped in the Northbound lane than it is on the Southbound.
GCQ Day 1, EDSA Guadalupe traffic 7:37AM. looks like there are more cars northbound. some MRT trains also operating pic.twitter.com/Lj0cjU6vG6
— kristian #CHROMATICA (@tanakakiichiro) May 31, 2020
As early as 6:40 AM, commuters in Commonwealth Avenue are already lining up waiting for possible public transportation they can hop on
Day 1 pf GCQ
— Chris (@itschristianme) May 31, 2020
Commonwealth Avenue as of 6:40am pic.twitter.com/6fE9fQXxk2
Surprisingly, this area in Pasig City has no traffic. Even with a mix of private cars, a P2P bus, motorcycles, and commuters in bicycles.
Walang traffic sa Pasig today
— Devil's Playground (@AnGeL_SpurS21) June 1, 2020
Shookt ako na mabilis makapasok sa office on the 1st day of GCQ pic.twitter.com/KgqpwkvRZ5
This video said to be taken in North Caloocan is bumper-bumper traffic made up of the motorcycle and private vehicle lanes.
Day1 ng GCQ North Caloocan pic.twitter.com/q92PhRENuV
— Mina (@Mhinami11) June 1, 2020
This netizen, on the other hand, shared he woke up on this horrifying situation; smoke from a fire somewhere in Metro Manila.
Woke up with this view, sunog somewhere in Metro Manila x #GCQ#GCQDay1pic.twitter.com/9rF8SDblFs
— they call me PJ (@EngrPJxx) May 31, 2020
Bacoor City in Cavite, a also suffered bumper-to-bumper traffic as residents rushed to cross the city to the other as early as 7:00 AM.
Currently, the resumption of the mass transport system is still in Phase 1 (from June 1-21) where its only trains and few buses, taxis, TNVS, shuttle services, Point-to-Point buses, and bicycles are allowed to operate with limited capacity. Phase 2 (from June 22 to 30) includes public utility buses (PUBs), modern public utility vehicles (PUVs), and UV Express units with limited capacity as well.
Metro Manila’s transition from MECQ to GCQ still needs improvement. We can only hope it will get better once we enter Phase 2 and commuters adjusting to the “new normal” in public transportation.
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