Free ride for health workers, APOR start today

CEBU, Philippines —  All essential workers or authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) and healthcare workers can now enjoy free rides in several routes in metro Cebu.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-7 Regional Director Eduardo Montealto, Jr. said free rides resume today.

The free rides or Libreng Sakay in Cebu has the following routes: Carcar-Cebu City, Carcar to Mandaue City, Mandaue-Cebu City Loop Service, Lapu-Lapu City Service Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City Loop Service Cordova, Mandaue City Loop Service, Lapu-Lapu City-Cebu City via Mandaue Hospitals, Cebu City Loop Service (Southside and Northside).

But the program, which is part of Department of Transportation (DOTr) and LTFRB’s Service Contracting, is expected to end on December 30, 2021.

This program has a budget of P3 billion nationwide and Region-7 has a budget ceiling of P300 million.

Under this program, operators and drivers are allowed to make a profit based on the number of trips they run each week, whether they have a ride or not.

LTFRB-7, in its Facebook page, said this program is a performance-based incentive given to operators and drivers involved in the program based on the number of trips their vehicles operate each week.

It can be recalled that on September 8, 2021, Montealto together with various operators of modern and traditional public utility jeepneys and tourist transport both vans and buses signed an agreement on the implementation of the second phase of the program.

Montealto said the implementation of the program, which aims to ensure reliable and safe public transportation for commuters, would be gradual.

The program is under Republic Act No. 11494, otherwise known as the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, as part of the Government’s Covid-19 response and recovery interventions, and also aims to provide temporary livelihood to displaced workers in the transportation industry.

During the Phase 1 of its implementation, operators and drivers joining this program are entitled to receive P82 per kilometer (30 percent for the driver and 70 percent for the operator) as a subsidy from the government. — KQD (FREEMAN)