The Office of the Vice President (OVP) rolled out its free shuttle services to eight different routes in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to help commuters who will be affected by the two-day transport strike starting Monday, Sept. 23.
Office of the Vice President's Libreng Sakay (OVP photo)
The free shuttle service, called “Libreng Sakay,” is an ongoing program by the OVP to augment public transportation during rush hour.
“The Office of Vice President (OVP) is set to deploy its ‘Libreng Sakay’ buses for commuters that will be affected by the two-day transport strike,” the OVP’s statement read.
The OVP added that all shuttle buses “are fully airconditioned and equipped with necessities such as portable toilets, charging ports, and free Wi-Fi connections.”
Currently, there are four OVP Libreng Sakay buses plying along the routes in the National Capital Regional (NCR)—two buses running to and from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) and Monumento—and two buses plying the Quiapo-Commonwealth Avenue route.
In August, Duterte’s office expanded this service by adding the Cavite route—from PITX hub to the municipality of Naic.
There are also free shuttle buses in the cities of Cebu, Bacolod, and Davao.
The OVP has been offering these services since 2022, with the agency celebrating its one-millionth passenger last March.
Transport groups led by Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) and Manibela began its two-day strike on Monday to protest the government’s implementation of its public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP).
The strike kicked off in Novaliches, Cubao, Monumento, Baclaran, Pasay, Sucat, Parañaque, Bicutan, Taguig, Pasig, and Marikina.
There were also strikes in Bacolod, Panay, Cebu, Southern Tagalog, Davao, Central Luzon, and Baguio City.
In Metro Manila, Manibela announced that at least 20,000 drivers of traditional jeepneys will join the transport strike.