A woman sitting alone inside the empty bus with plastic barriers hanging in between the seats as protection of passengers against the coronavirus. Commuters must observe a one meter physical distancing, and wearing of face masks and shields are required as part of the safety guidelines rolled out by the Department of Transportation to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. I was the second passenger to ride the bus and I quickly took my chance to take a photo while there are no other passengers yet. Later on I noticed that the bus was about to get packed and physical distancing is no longer practiced as the bus conductor would allow other people to sit down in order to fill the two- and three-coach seats. This photo was taken in December 2020.
Ria Kristina Torrente is a freelance photographer based in Makati City, Philippines. She strives to record and articulate her observations and unfolding explorations through various approaches with her camera. She is also a writer on certain occasions.