Councilor Elgin Damasco, chairman of the committee on transportation, in a video shared Friday to reporters confirmed that the request for an exemption in Puerto Princesa was rejected by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
Mercury Drug, Drugman, and Biochemist, three of the drugstores operating several branches in Puerto Princesa City, began running out of any type of face masks to sell since January 23 when reports about suspected Wuhan coronavirus cases started circulating in Coron and El Nido.
This, after the city government held a public consultation with the different tricycle operators and drivers association (TODA) resulting in a consensus, establishing alternative routes for the implementation of the national law issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
This week, the City Council said they will start identifying alternate routes to be assigned for tricycles once they are eased out from the main highway, after the local DILG office formally reiterated to them the department’s policy to strictly implement the ban.
Despite this and a noticeable decrease in water pressure in several areas in Puerto Princesa at the beginning of the year, water district general manager Antonio Jesus Romasanta said there is no cause for alarm because they already have contingency measures to deal with the problem.
Mayor Lucilo Bayron said Rizal Avenue from Junction 1 to Abrea Road will undergo road-widening to pave the way for other project plans such as Batak-inspired cultural displays, more chains of restaurants, games and amusement center, and winery, to name a few.
