DPWH fields shuttle buses for health workers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has deployed 74 shuttle vehicles to provide free rides for health workers going to their designated hospitals. 

In a statement, the DPWH said that 72 buses and two modern public utility vehicles will regularly ferry health workers on designated routes and vice versa at 5 a.m., 7 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The DPWH said that the buses will be deployed to different areas in Metro Manila. 

For the northwest area, the DPWH said the buses will pick up health workers at Meralco (Malanday) going to Valenzuela City General Hospital, and pick-up at MCU Hospital (Monumento) to Caloocan City Medical and Tondo General Hospital. 

From the MCU, the DPWH said that it will also ferry health workers going to Our Lady of Fatima, Metropolitan Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, University of Santo Tomas Hospital and Chinese General Hospital. ?The United Doctors Medical Center along Welcome Rotonda will also serve as transfer points for health workers in the northwest area. 

Vehicles are also deployed at the Valenzuela Gateway complex to Quezon City General Hospital, to Balintawak and MCU Hospital (Monumento) to Our Lady of Fatima University, Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center, Philippine Orthopedic Center and United Doctors Medical Center.  

In northeast area, vehicles are available at the SM City SJDM (Bulacan), Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial (Caloocan), SM Fairview, Diliman Doctors Hospital, Veterans Memorial Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heath Center, East Avenue Medical Center, Philippine Children’s Hospital and Centris Station along EDSA. 

Vehicles are also available at SM City Masinag, Marikina Valley Medical Center, Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, BFCT East Metro Transport Terminal, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Araneta Center Bus Terminal, Robinsons Galleria, The Medical City-Ortigas for the east area. 

Also in the east area, vehicles are dispatched at Ortigas Hospital and Healthcare (Cainta), SM City East Ortigas, Pasig City General Hospital, The Medical City Ortigas, Robinsons Galleria, VRP Medical Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center and Rizal Medical Center.

For central area, the DPWH said vehicles are available at Centris station along EDSA, Providence Hospital, Capitol Medical Center, Philippine Orthopedic Center, United Doctors Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, Delos Santos Medical Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center, UERM Memorial Medical Center and MRT-3 Cubao station at the Araneta Center. 

Vehicles in the central and east area are available at the Pasig City General Hospital, Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pasig Rotonda, Rizal Medical Center, The Medical City (Ortigas), Robinsons Galleria, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, VRP Medical Center, National Center for Mental Health and Makati Medical Center. 

Health workers in the southeast area can take the vehicles along Starmall-Alabang, SLEX Sucat Exit, Bicutan Exit, Makati Medical Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center-BGC, and at Vista Mall, Daang Hari, Perpetual Help Medical Center (Las Piñas), Las Piñas General Hospital, Baclaran Market and San Juan de Dios Educational Medical Center.  

Vehicles will also be deployed for health workers going to Pasay City General Hospital, Adventist Medical Center, Makati Medical Center, Philippine General Hospital, Manila Doctors Hospital and United Doctors Medical Center.  

The pick-up point for southeast area will be at the RITM for workers going to Asian Hospital and Medical Center, Muntinlupa City Hospital and Starmall-Alabang, SLEX Sucat Exit, Bicutan Exit, San Juan de Dios EFI-Hospital, Gil Puyat Station LRT-1, Philippine General Hospital and Manila Doctors Hospital, SM Molino, Imus Transport Plaza, Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center.  

Health workers can also ride buses at the Baclaran Market going to San Juan de Dios Education Foundation hospital; along Gil Puyat to Adventist Medical Center; at the Philippine General Hospital and Manila Doctors Hospital, Seaoil Imus Daang Hari/Aguinaldo, Imus Transport Terminal, Las Piñas General Hospital, Perpetual Help Medical Center, RITM, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, Muntinlupa Hospital and Starmall Alabang.

Meanwhile, Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) president Dr. Gina Nazareth aired an appeal for immediate help in providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to health workers and other frontline personnel, as their members and other health workers in the frontline “desperately look for solutions to prevent more deaths and stem the continuing COVID-19. – With Paolo Romero