The onslaught of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 or COVID-19 has rocked the country down to the core, claiming lives and challenging the Philippine economy. With a situation as serious as this, the Philippine government had to put the nation under all kinds of quarantine levels to mitigate the spread of the virus, as much as it could.

The result of this is a drastic change in almost all of the forces that move the Philippine economy prior to COVID-19, and this includes food and restaurant businesses. Under quarantine, many dining establishments have temporarily stopped operations or have resorted to alternative means of keeping their business afloat with safety precautions in mind. One of these food establishments which have chosen to carry on is Binalot, a popular fast food brand known for serving hearty Pinoy meals packaged in banana leaves.

With no time to waste, Binalot had immediately adjusted its operations in order to adapt to the so-called “new normal” ways of doing food business. Among these is the introduction of shuttle service provisions for its crew, which is a safer alternative to using public transport.

In this war against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we really need all hands on deck. Aside from the healthcare workers who are at the forefront of saving the lives of the COVID-19 patients, there are also other frontliners who are doing their part amid the pandemic.

There are the military and police personnel who enforce the enhanced community quarantine, the social workers, local government unit and barangay personnel who bring food packs to the depressed areas, and the grocery and pharmacy crew who ensure that we get our basic needs.

And finally, somebody has to make sure these other frontliners get to and from their workplaces safely and on time — the transport people who shuttle all these other frontliners to and from their residences to their workplace.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has organized drivers and conductors, police escorts, military escorts, LTO, LTFRB and I-ACT personnel to provide free shuttles for frontliners, primarily healthcare workers for them to get to their proper destinations.

The DOTr made several transport schemes catering to medical frontliners during the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine  in Luzon. The schemes cover Metro Manila and suburbs, extending to and from destinations that include Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan.

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