The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has paid P445.46 million in payables to drivers and operators of Public Utility Bus (PUB) plying the EDSA Busway under the “Libreng Sakay” of the Service Contracting Program (SCP), it announced Monday, August 1.
Based on the current data of the LTFRB, the amount covers the payment from Week 6 to Week 13 of the SCP Phase 3.
Meanwhile, the LTFRB is currently processing the payments for Weeks 14 and 15.
LTFRB Chairman Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil said the agency was in close coordination with the PUB consortia operating the EDSA Busway to begin the processing of payments for week 16, which ended last week.
“LTFRB will continue to address issues and concerns with regard to the current public land transportation system in line with the mandates of the new administration to improve the lives of our operators & drivers and the commuting public,” Garafil said.
The Libreng Sakay was implemented by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) late last year with a P7-billion budget allotted to the LTFRB for its operationalization.
Under the program, participating public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers shall provide free rides to commuters and they will receive a one-time payout and weekly payments for their service.
The EDSA Busway Carousel started the third phase of the program on April 11.
However, the program was met with criticisms as PUV drivers and operators complained of the late payments given to them, leaving them penniless and not compensated on time for their work.
This, aside from the additional burden caused by the surging prices of oil products in recent weeks.
But the LTFRB leadership under the new administration vowed to expedite the payments of PUB drivers and operators on the EDSA Busway amid complaints that they were not paid for servicing passengers along the said route.