The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday announced the distribution of Malasakit Help Kits through Malasakit Help Desks (MHD) in transport hubs across the country to help provide commuters a comfortable journey during the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day holidays.

In a Facebook post, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) listed the contents of each kit and said MHDs will be activated in five of their stations — North EDSA, Cubao, Shaw, Ayala, and Taft.

“These MHDs will provide assistance to commuters, and each station is set to distribute Malasakit Help Kits containing snacks, water, toiletries, and foldable fans,” the MRT-3 said.

In a message, DOTr Assistant Secretary for Communications Goddes Hope Libiran said these kits will be available to all commuters and will be distributed starting October 31.

However, the MRT-3 will reserve a hundred kits for persons with disabilities and senior citizens in each MHD within the rail line.

Libiran said the number of kit allocation will vary per agency but airports under the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) will receive at least 500 kits each while MHDs in stations of the MRT-3 will receive at least 100 kits each.

In addition, the DOTr Communications and Commuter Affairs Office (DOTr-CACAO) said Terminals 1-4 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were allocated 1,000 kits each to “complement the services airports give for delayed flight departures.”

The office added that allocations for passenger terminal buildings (PTB) under the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) will vary depending on their capacity.

“For PPA ports, allocation of MHD kits depends on the passenger capacity of the PTB. CDO port, for example, has 3,000 MHD kits,” the DOTr-CACAO said.

On Tuesday, the DOTr announced the activation of MHDs in transport hubs throughout the country in line with their “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Undas 2019”.

The project aims to provide assistance to the public during the annual exodus to the provinces during All Saints’ Day.

Assistance from MHDs will range from handling transport-related inquiries, complaints, assistance such as transport network vehicle service (TNVS)/taxi booking, facilitating refund of terminal fees, provision of attestation of cause of trip cancellation or delay, emergency medical assistance, to receiving reports of possible security threats.

Moreover, the DOTr reiterated that students from elementary to college, including those enrolled in technical and vocational schools, are exempted from paying terminal fees in airports operated by the CAAP and ports under the PPA.

The PPA also exempts senior citizens, PWDs, and active uniformed personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and Philippine Coast Guard from paying terminal fees at seaports under its purview.

Medal of Valor awardees and their dependents will also have their terminal fees waived at all PPA-operated seaports and at all NAIA terminals. (PNA)