CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – With the travel restriction still in effect in many parts of Mindanao, a bus company resumed its operations to serve mainly the medical frontliners.
Rural Transit Mindanao Inc. (RTMI) said ferrying medical staff from their homes to their workplaces and vice versa was a decision made by the management.
“This is our corporate social responsibility, to transport our health workers. We are glad to serve them,” said Celer Estologa, RTMI media relations officer, on Saturday, May 9.
The company resumed operations in the first week of May.
Estologa shared their purpose was not for profit, but to help the frontliners even if it would mean they have few passengers. He also said that RTMI has lost about 70% of its income due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It was not immediately known how much the company is actually earning every month.
At present, RTMI buses ply from Cagayan de Oro to Misamis Oriental towns, within the province of Bukidnon, and other parts of Mindanao.
Estologa said the limited routes were in response to the community quarantine protocols which were put in place in the provinces and towns.
Helping the employees
RTMI has distributed five-kilo rice packs to its more than 3,000 workers, aside from the 15-day cash advance and 13th-month pay. This was implemented based on the directive of the company president Leo Rey Yanson.
“The management is fully aware this pandemic will not end anytime soon, but they gave an assurance that they will be there to help their workers during this crisis,” Estologa said.
Meanwhile, Lemuel Oliverio, president of the RTMI workers’ union, said they appreciated the management’s gesture.
“This is a big help to us, and we would like to assure the management that we remain dedicated to our work,” he said. (davaotoday.com)
