Angkas to provide free rides to medical frontliners

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) and motorcycle ride-hailing app Angkas have joined forces to provide free transportation to medical frontliners in Metro Manila, officials said yesterday.

Angkas unveiled its program during a ceremony attended by Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año and top police officials at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Under the program, around 1,000 Angkas drivers will give free transportation to medical frontliners assigned at hospitals treating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which were identified by the Department of Health.

These are the Philippine General Hospital, San Lazaro Hospital, Ospital ng Sampaloc, East Avenue Medical Center, Tala Hospital, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Quezon City General Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Ospital ng Maynila and Fabella Hospital.

The free rides will last while Metro Manila is under a modified enhanced community quarantine until Aug. 18.

Angkas chief transport advocate George Royeca said medical frontliners do not need to pay as they will source the salaries of their riders from other partners, saying it is their own way of giving back to health workers who are facing the COVID-19 outbreak.

Angkas also donated around 1,000 barrier shields to the PNP, which in turn will distribute the protective equipment to medical workers and other civilians who use motorcycles as their means of transportation.

PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said medical workers could just approach Angkas riders and present their identification cards to avail themselves of free rides.

The PNP, for its part, will ensure that roads are safe for riders and their passengers. – Richmond Mercurio