Forty-five thousand and nine hundred sixty-eight healthcare workers and authorized persons outside residence (APORs) have benefited from the “Libreng Sakay” service of the regional office of the Land Transportation and Franchising Service (LTFRB 11).
Launched on September 1, 2021, the Phase 2 of “Libreng Sakay”, which tapped 88 bus units covering 20 routes in Davao Region, runs in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao Occidental with destinations including major hospitals such as the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC-Davao City), Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC-Tagum) and Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital.
LTFRB 11 has tapped seven bus operators as partners in Phase 2 of the program, which eventually benefited 238 drivers.
In a statement, LTFRB 11 stated that the free ride initiative is just one of the two types of activities under the Public Utility Vehicles (PUV) Service Contracting Program, which is the government’s other program in response to the crisis experienced by the transportation sector due to the pandemic.
Initiated by the Department of Transportation (DoTr), the service contracting program allows public utility drivers to earn based on the kilometers traveled instead of the number of passengers while the free ride program aims to help essential workers get to their destinations safely and efficiently by providing much-needed free transportation during the pandemic.
According to Nonito Llanos III, regional director of LTFRB, at the start of the free ride service in Davao Region last week, this is not only a program of the DOTR and the LTFRB but a program of the people.
“The importance of this program is that this involves a lot of people. This involves a lot of beneficiaries. We need to touch the lives of other people, because these times of the pandemic, we need the support of each other,” the statement said.
