Reelectionist Senator Joel Villanueva on Wednesday, April 20 called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to reconsider their decision to implement a new provincial bus schedule.
The window time of the new bus schedule is between 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
In a statement, Villanueva said the government should consider the welfare of commuters, as well as the provincial bus operators and drivers in the implementation of this new scheme.
Villanueva said commuters should, likewise, be given decent and affordable alternatives for them to travel to Metro Manila within business hours.
He also said that ample time should be given to commuters before implementing the new scheme so they can adjust to the new schedule.
‘’Being born and raised in Bulacan, we feel the hardship that this new schedule will give to ordinary people from the provinces who regularly travel to Metro Manila.
‘’We hope that the agencies have thoroughly studied by our agencies for its effect on our commuters whose livelihoods rely on the daily commute on provincial buses," he said.
‘’The source of income of our provincial bus operators and drivers are affected by this decision, because their earnings depend on the number of the passengers they can serve.
‘’Let’s be reminded that we are still recovering from the pandemic lockdowns, and that a lot of livelihoods are dependent on the provincial bus routes. The economies of Metro Manila and neighboring provinces also depend on this decision," Villanueva pointed out.
‘’Similar to our previous call for the MMDA to further study the economic impact of its proposals for a revised number coding scheme, let’s ask ourselves what is the use of lighter vehicular traffic if there is no transportation available for our commuters," the lawmaker further said.