TACLOBAN CITY — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Region 8 (LTFRB-8) launched the free ride program "Libreng Sakay" anew together with Duptours Shuttle Services Inc. in Eastern Visayas on Wednesday, September 15, 2021.
Libreng Sakay will cater to healthcare workers, frontliners, and authorized persons outside residence (APORs) across Region 8.
Seventeen (17) units of Duptours Shuttle Services Inc. will ply the following routes:
- Tacloban City to Lemon, Capoocan, and vice versa;
- Lemon, Capoocan to Ormoc City, and vice versa;
- Tacloban City to Balanggiga, Samar, and vice versa;
- Balanggiga, Samar to Guiuan, Eastern Samar, and vice versa;
- Tacloban City to Giporlos, Eastern Samar, and vice versa;
- Giporlos, Eastern Samar to Borongan City, and vice versa;
- Borongan City to General MacArthur, Eastern Samar, and vice versa; and
- General MacArthur, Eastern Samar to Guiuan, Eastern Samar, and vice versa.
The Libreng Sakay program is implemented under the Service Contracting Program (SCP) Phase II of Department of Transportation (DOTr) and LTFRB under the leadership of DOTr Sec. Arthur P. Tugade and LTFRB Chairman Martin B. Delgra III.
"Isinusulong po natin ito upang makapagbigay ng dagdag kita sa mga operators na lubhang na apektohan ang kita sa panahon ng pandemya. Nais rin nating makatulong sa ating mga Health Care Workers, APOR at mga Essential Workers sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng Libreng Sakay, gayundin ng maayos, mabilis, at ligtas na pampublikong transportation. [We are launching this program in order to provide additional revenue to operators who will greatly affect revenue during the pandemic. We also want to help our Health Care Workers, APORs and Essential Workers by providing Free Ride, as well as efficient, fast, and safe public transportation.]" LTFRB-8 said in a statement.
It is expected that in the coming days, more operators will participate in the SCP Phase II to provide free public transportation services to essential passengers and commuters. —Tacloban News Update (Source: LTFRB-8)