OVP, DOTr launch free bus rides  

MANILA, Philippines — Five buses lent to the office of Vice President Sara Duterte will provide free rides to commuters in the National Capital Region and other parts of the country.

“We hope that through this program, we will be able to provide relief to some of our fellow Filipinos who rely on public transportation for their daily commute to work, school and other places,” Duterte said yesterday during the project’s launching at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange.

Duterte said buses would also be deployed in Bacolod, Metro Cebu and Davao City to offer free rides.

The OVP partnered with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the implementation of the “libreng sakay” project, which aims to augment the government’s free ride program during rush hour.

“We hope that this meager contribution will translate to daily savings for commuters,” Duterte said.

The buses offering free rides were used for Duterte’s campaign in the last elections.

Duterte said it would be more useful if the buses were deployed in some key areas to support the DOTr’s free ride program.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, who joined Duterte during the launch, welcomed the OVP’s support.

“The Vice President’s help will be useful when face-to-face classes start,” Bautista said.

According to the OVP, two buses will be deployed in Metro Manila to augment the EDSA Carousel line.

One each will be deployed in Metro Cebu (servicing the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu), Bacolod and Davao City.

The buses will have different routes depending on the day of the week. – Rudy Santos