The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has facilitated free rides for over five million frontline healthcare workers and authorized persons outside residence or APORs this year.
In a Facebook post Sunday, April 25, the DOTr revealed that its Free Ride for Health Workers Program has tallied a total ridership of 2.265 million as of April 23.
On the other hand, 3.186 million APORs have been given free rides under the agency's Service Contracting Program with public utility vehicles (PUV) drivers and operators.
"Ang mga programang ito ay isinagawa bilang pagtalima sa direktiba ni DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade na tulungan ang ating mga kababayang health workers at APORs na makabiyahe ng free patungo sa kani-kanilang mga trabaho sa gitna ng pandemya (These programs were carried out in line with DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade's directive to help give free transportation for our health workers and APORs to their workplaces amid the pandemic)," the post read.
Public transportation has been restricted in the National Capital Region (NCR)-plus due various lockdown levels imposed by authorities the past few weeks.
The area, which covers NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, was placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from March 29 to April 11. After that, the protocol was slightly lowered to a modified ECQ (MECQ), which will run until April 30.
The same Facebook post says the twin programs will continue to serve the populace.