Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 20) — The Interior Department on Friday responded to the questions why tricycles aren't allowed to bring health workers around Pasig City, but e-tricycles are allowed to ply Manila City during the enhanced community quarantine.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año explained the system in Manila is different from allowing tricycle drivers to operate on their own while travel restrictions are in place to curb the spread of coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

"The difference doon kay Mayor ng Manila, ang e-vehicles ay hindi pumapasada. Ito ay kinomission ng Manila on dispatch system for the purpose of bringing workers to the hospital. Specific, hindi pumi-pick up ng pasahero," he said in a media briefing.

[Translation: In Manila, the tricycles are commissioned by the city on dispatch system to ferry workers to the hospital, not to pick up passengers.]

Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno on Thursday announced 198 e-tricycles will be deployed for the frontliners in the city. He said, under the program of the national government and Labor Department, the e-trike drivers will be paid for transporting healthcare workers to public hospitals.

On the same day, Interior Department Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya told Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto the city cannot be exempted from the travel restrictions in Luzon by giving in to his request to allow tricycles to service health workers and patients with urgent needs. Sotto said he would heed the instructions of the national government.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday also warned local government officials they may face criminal charges if they refuse to abide by the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine guidelines set by the national government.