Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 31) — The Libreng Sakay program will continue to benefit commuters in 2023, Senator Sonny Angara clarified as he pointed out that a “substantial amount was included” by Congress under the approved budget.
EDSA Bus Carousel free rides were supposed to end Dec. 31 this year due to lack of funding.
Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, in a statement on Friday said available funds were included in the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA) to ensure the continuation of the program.
Under the 2023 GAA, a total of ₱2.16 billion was allocated for the PUV Service Contracting Program, through the initiative of Congress which includes the ₱1.285 billion in programmed appropriations and another ₱875 million lodged under the unprogrammed appropriations.
“The Libreng Sakay program has benefited hundreds of thousands of our commuters, who have been clamoring for its continuation as a way to ease their burden from the rising costs of fuel and basic goods and commodities,” Angara said.
“These days every peso counts and whatever little savings that could be realized is highly appreciated,” he added.
The senator also noted that the free rides, which were of big help to commuters who move around Metro Manila and other key cities, is especially important now as commodity prices continue to rise.
“Dapat lang natin siguraduhin na sapat ang mga bus na maghahatid sa ating mga mananakay para hindi maipon ang mga pila at makarating nang maayos ang pasahero sa kanilang mga destinasyon,” Angara said.
[Translation: We must make sure that there are enough buses to ferry our commuters so that there would be no long queues and they get to their destinations.]
Citing data from the Department of Budget and Management, Angara said 628 buses were contracted to service the EDSA Busway route that will accommodate up to 50 million passengers from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr), however, reminded commuters earlier this week that EDSA bus carousel free rides will end by the end of the year.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista told reporters that the allotted funds for service contracting would not be enough to continue the Libreng Sakay program.
“[For the] EDSA busway, we spend around ₱10 to 12 million a day. So ang ₱1.2 billion, ilang buwan lang ‘yun, (so the ₱1.2 billion would only last for a few months),” he said.
Bautista also confirmed that the government plans to privatize operations of the EDSA bus carousel by 2023 to make it more efficient and profitable.
Latest Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) data showed there were over 80,000 passengers of EDSA bus rides from Dec. 15 to Dec. 27.
Libreng Sakay was implemented in 2020 as part of the government’s effort to help the transport sector during the pandemic and was previously approved under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.
READ: DOTr eyes privatization of EDSA busway by 2023
READ: EDSA bus rides to charge passengers starting Jan. 1
READ: ₱2 billion allocated for EDSA busway free rides in 2023 – Angara
