THE PUBLIC transportation system in the National Capital Region does not motivate students to go back to school, a group claimed on Sunday.

“While we understand that many sectors are already calling for a return to face-to-face classes, we are just saying that the government should be wary of the additional demand to our already heavily-burdened public transport system,” Passenger Forum Convener Primo Morillo said.

“This problem needs to be addressed for us to successfully phase back into normal classroom-based education,” he added.

Even before the pandemic, Metro Manila’s public transportation system has been a big issue. The situation grew worse when many public utility vehicle operators and drivers chose not to go to work because of the high cost of gasoline.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said that a gradual transition to full in-person classes in September is being pushed.

“The announcements from the Palace mean we have about two months to solve our public transport issues or at least provide some immediate relief to the plight of our commuters. One of the reasons why students and teachers want a shift to face-to-face is due to the stress they get from online classes,” Morillo said.

“Their stress will just shift from in front of their laptops to our sidewalks and PUVs if we ignore the connection between the transport crisis and our target to return to face-to-face. Worse, physical fatigue will add to the mental exhaustion of our students and teachers,” he added.