The free shuttle provision initiated by Vice President Sara Duterte’s office added a new route on Wednesday, Aug. 14, with one of its buses plying the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) to Naic in Cavite province.
(Photo from the Office of the Vice President)
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) held the launch of the PITX-Naic route under its “Libreng Sakay” program on Wednesday morning at the Parañaque bus terminal. A simple blessing was done prior to the bus’ send off.
According to the OVP, it started the new route of the free shuttle service also in response to the planned three-day nationwide strike by various transport groups against the transport modernization program.
The Libreng Sakay program in Metro Manila, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Bacolod, and Davao City aims to help alleviate the mobility concerns of thousands of Filipino commuters living in key cities of the country.
Since 2022, seven buses—one in Bacolod, Cebu, and Davao, and four in Metro Manila—have been offering the services.
According to the OVP, the program has already served 1,366,193 total passengers as of July 31. The buses are equipped with free WiFi, close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, smart TV, and aircon.
In Metro Manila, the bus routes of Quiapo to Commonwealth and EDSA Carousel: PITX to Monumento, and vice versa, run Mondays to Saturdays from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
In Cebu City, the bus routes of IT Park to SM Seaside, Brgy. Mepza to Brgy. Opon, Jagobiao to M.C. Briones, and vice versa follow the same schedule in Metro Manila.
The same schedule is also being followed in Duterte’s hometown of Davao City—from Calinan to Roxas Avenue, from Lasang to Roxas Avenue, from Toril to Roxas Avenue, and vice versa.
Bacolod City follows a different schedule from Mondays to Saturdays with buses running from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The routes are as follows: from Brgy. Handumanan to the Bacolod Public Plaza, from Brgy. Punta Taytay to the Bacolod Public Plaza, and from Progreso Village, Vista Alegre to the Bacolod Public Plaza, and vice versa.
In March this year, the OVP celebrated having served the one-millionth passenger of its Libreng Sakay program.
“Hiling ng OVP na marami pang Plilipino ang matulungan ng ating mga programa saanmang sulok ng bansa (The OVP wishes that the program can help more Filipinos from all over the country),” the OVP said.