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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider DOTR expands free bus ride program for health workers

DOTR expands free bus ride program for health workers

Published Apr 5, 2020 12:00 am

By Bernie Cahiles-Maglikat and Emmie Abadilla

The Free Bus Service for Health Workers Program has expanded to 19 routes in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

Department of Transportation (MANILA BULLETIN) Department of Transportation (MANILA BULLETIN)

Ninety to 105 bus units are being deployed daily to transport various health workers to hospitals since the program started on March 18.

As of April 3, the program has provided transportation service to 23,673 riders in Metro Manila, the DOTr said.

For easy access, the Free Bus Service Program has tapped Sakay.PH and Google to include the 19 routes in their websites.

With the help of the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), toll operators have waived the toll fees of medical workers in all expressways in Luzon while the enhanced community quarantine is in effect.

Aside from Metro Manila and nearby provinces, the DOTr is also providing free bus service to frontline health workers in other regions.

Data from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), showed there have been 176 special permits issued to 418 bus units in different parts of the country to help ferry frontliners.

The DOTR has also extended help to passengers from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) via the NAIA-Turbina, Laguna, and NAIADau, Pampanga free shuttle service routes. A total of 191 passengers have availed of this free ride service.

To ease the burden of those under the SPEED PUV Program, the Land Bank of the Philippines has granted a 30-day grace period for its borrowers under the program.

Meanwhile, the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has also extended payments of loans to members of the PASADA program.

The DOTR vowed to continue enhancing its services to the public during the ECQ period.

Fuel subsidy

The DOTr is giving fuel subsidies to 60 bus companies and partners participating in the government's Free Ride for Health Workers Program.

The DOTr partnered with Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc. for the initiative which will initially give allocations of 50 liters of fuel daily to 60 private bus companies.

For bus companies to avail of the subsidy, the bus units should at least complete two round trips on a given day.

They will be provided with a voucher at different staging areas.

The vouchers will be certified and signed by the staging area leader and will then be signed thereafter by the authorized representative at the assigned gas stations.

A total of seven Phoenix gas stations have already been identified for participating private bus units to avail of the subsidy.

These include the PX RETAIL CODO-Timog and PNX RETAIL CODO-Bahay Toro in Quezon City; PNX RETAIL CODO-Mall of Asia in Pasay City; PNX AFA PSPC-NAIA Road in Parañaque City; PNX RETAIL CODO-Malanday 1 in Valenzuela; PNX RETAIL CODO-Potrero in Malabon; and PNX AFA PSPCFilinvest-Northgate in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

Since its initial launch on March 18, 2020, the DOTr Free Bus Service Program for Health Workers has transported 15,403 medical frontliners as of end of March.

From its initial three routes during its first day of operations, the program, which operates 24/7, now serves 19 routes in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade issued a directive to aid bus companies and partners that have provided support to ferry health workers to their designated hospitals as mass transport in Luzon remains paralyzed under the enhanced community quarantine.

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