Quezon City institutionalizes bus program

MANILA, Philippines — To ensure continuity of free transportation services to residents, the Quezon City government has institutionalized the implementation of the Q City Bus program.

“I am hopeful that more QCitizens will benefit from the program,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a statement yesterday.

Belmonte recently signed Ordinance No. SP-3184, S-2023, which was introduced by Councilors Alfred Vargas and Ram Medalla.

Under the ordinance, the Q City Bus program will be part of the public transport system of the local government.

The ordinance mandates the Transportation and Management Division of the Quezon City Traffic and Transport Management Department to supervise the operation and further development of the bus program.

Belmonte launched the initiative in 2020 to provide free rides to residents as transportation in Metro Manila was restricted due to the pandemic.

Since then, the program has catered to more than 14.6 million passengers along eight routes, the city government said.

“This program helped ease the burden of our people regarding their daily transportation expenses amid the rising prices of basic commodities,” Belmonte said in Filipino.

The local government said the “implementation, supervision, operation and development of the Q City bus program shall be guided by the principles of environmental sustainability, ecological balance, sustainable technological innovation, good governance and accountability, as well as the best interest of the constituents of Quezon City.”