PHLPost sets health and safety protocols to fight Covid-19

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) has committed to keep the post office safe for employees and the public in the fight against Covid-19.

PHLPost has emphasized that the safety of its personnel and postal clients are of paramount importance. It has introduced measures to keep its post offices and mail processing facilities accepting postal ID’s, domestic and international mails safe.

For daily health checks, employees and the public are required to declare their whereabouts and health status for easy contact tracing, regularly promotes physical distancing, hand sanitation, regular temperature checking and wearing of facemask. 

To keep its workplace safe, mails and parcels regularly received at the post office are being sanitized and disinfected by its maintenance personnel who wear personal protective equipment (PPEs) for secure working environment.

Work arrangements such as flexible hours, shifting and work-from-home were also adapted according to work requirements.

PHLPost is also committed to fulfill its universal mandate of continuous delivery of important mails from various government and private sectors who are important clients of the agency.

Meanwhile, post offices in the country are now open to serve the public from 8:00am until 5:00pm.

LTFRB, LTO transitions to "new normal" with use of online, cashless transactions

Wazzup Pilipinas!

As the country make adjustments for the “new normal,” amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) health crisis, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO), is pushing for technological innovations that will lessen human intervention and physical contact in agency transactions.

Starting 16 June 2020, the LTFRB will launch, in the National Capital Region, its latest initiative: the Public Transport Online Processing System (PTOPS). This system, which is still on pilot testing and for consultation with stakeholders from June 1-15, will allow transactions to be made online - making LTFRB services faster and accessible for all its stakeholders. This, however excludes the publication and hearing of cases.

In partnership with PISOPAY.COM, the PTOPS not only aims to make transactions faster and more convenient, but also aims to ensure that physical distancing will be continuously observed, as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Using PTOPS, a user can easily create an account, select the type of transaction, and schedule an appointment online with the LTFRB.

Aside from helping to curb the spread of COVID-19, the new system also prevents opportunities for corrupt practices as there is now lessened human intervention.

"Kailangan na po nating masanay na ito na ang magiging normal simula ngayon. We are making our services accessible at the comfort of your homes and we have to adapt to this new reality. In this way, we lower the risk of possible virus transmission,” LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III said.

To recall, aside from PTOPS, the DOTr is also championing the implementation of safety protocols by promoting cashless transactions or digital payments as part of the “new normal.”

The Department has encouraged various digital payment providers to make their services available to transport operators and drivers to pave the way for cashless or contactless transactions in public transportation, such as taxis and transport network vehicle services (TNVS). Additionally, the LTFRB had also directed the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags on all public utility vehicles (PUVs) plying expressways and tollways.

For its part, the LTO said the “new normal” procedures will also be practiced in various transactions made with the agency through the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS).

Through the system, anyone can process their transactions online with the LTO to include driver/conductor’s application for renewal of license, requests for revision of records, and requests for Certificate of No Apprehension.

For settlement of traffic violations, motorists with admitted cases may settle their violations outright by paying fines at any LTO District Office Cashier or via electronic payment channels and online banking.

Meanwhile, for contested cases, motorists can submit their position papers online through the LTMS. Notification of hearing schedule and settlement updates will then be sent through electronic mail (e-mail) and through a portal dashboard.

According to LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar C. Galvante, the LTMS is currently on pilot test at some LTO offices which are under the general community quarantine (GCQ).

“We are doing the pilot-test at 24 LTO Offices to iron-out the technical glitches, and thus ensure that everything will run smoothly. Once all are in place, the LTMS will be implemented in all LTO offices nationwide,” Asec. Galvante said.

“The LTMS will limit human intervention so as to comply with the safety protocol advised by health authorities. Aside from this, I encourage everyone to be a responsible motorist so that our roads will be safer and settlements will be less. In this way, we can contribute to the faster healing process of our country,” Galvante emphasized.

Instituto Cervantes programs a videoconference on Magellan’s arrival to the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

On June 13, at 6pm, Instituto Cervantes de Manila presented a videoconference on the first circumnavigation of the world. The guest speaker was Tomás Mazón, a specialist on the topic and creator of the website La Primera Vuelta al Mundo (rutaelcano.com).

Interest in the historical Magellan-Elcano expedition is growing in the Philippines, particularly because the country was part of this voyage when the Magellan landed in the Archipelago in 1521. Many of the details of what happened are well known, but others remain obscure. In his talk, titled “Magellan & Elcano in the Philippines: Details in the historical archives”, Tomás Mazón will present the results of his research from the archived sources and the chronicles to complete or clarify the account of what happened.

Although an engineer by profession, Tomás Mazón has devoted his time to research on various articles on this topic. He regularly publishes the results of his research in his website.

The videoconference, presented by Instituto Cervantes de Manila in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, was held on the Zoom platform and was conducted in Spanish, but simultaneous translation in English will be provided. The audience were able to interact with the speaker by submitting their questions during the event. Admission was free on a first-come, first served basis. For further information and updates about this event, please check out http://manila.cervantes.es or Instituto Cervantes’ Facebook page: www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila