Latest news with #LibrengSakay
GMA Network
7 days ago
- Climate
- GMA Network
OVP to extend free ride service to stranded commuters amid heavy rains
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Wednesday extended its free ride service to stranded commuters due to the heavy rains triggered by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), enhanced by Tropical Storm Dante and Tropical Cyclone Emong. The OVP deployed two buses plying Monumento-PITX route, two buses for Quiapo-Commonwealth route, and one bus for PITX-Naic, Cavite route. The free service will be available until 10 p.m. "Yung ating Libreng Sakay, itong mga bus ng OVP ay patuloy na naglalakbay," said OVP Spokesperson Ruth Castelo. (Our Libre Sakay service from the OVP will continue to provide free rides.) "As we speak, umaandar yan from the point of beginning, hanggang sa destination para makatulong sa mga mamamayan natin," she added. (These buses from point of origin to destination to help our countrymen.) Castelo said the service may be further extended if needed. Widespread floods hit parts of Metro Manila amid the continuous heavy rains triggered by the Habagat. Government work and classes were also suspended in 26 areas due to the inclement weather. According to the OVP, its disaster operations center is targeting to extend assistance to 355,000 families in several areas including Quezon City, and Pangasinan. They will provide food boxes and relief goods. State weather bureau PAGASA raised storm Signal Number 1 over eight areas in Luzon due to Emong. As of 5 p.m., the following areas are: Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur La Union Northern and western portions of Pangasinan (Dasol, Burgos, Agno, Bani, Bolinao, City of Alaminos, Mabini, Anda, Labrador, Sual, Binmaley, Dagupan City, Lingayen, Bugallon, Infanta, Sison, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Pozorrubio) Apayao Abra Benguet — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
17-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
2M passengers served under OVP's ‘Libreng Sakay' —spox
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Thursday said that it has doubled the number of beneficiaries under its "Libreng Sakay" (free bus ride) program, with over 2 million passengers served since last year. OVP spokesperson Ruth Castelo said that nine of its buses are currently deployed across the country to offer free rides to commuters, covering routes in Metro Manila, Naic-Cavite, Cebu, Bacolod, Davao, and Tacloban. 'Right now, as of June 30, 2025…we already served 2,025,275 people, passengers, 'yung naisakay na natin [who rode our buses] as of today,' Castelo said in an ambush interview. 'Kung everyday natin itong gagawin hanggang 2028, so naka six years din tayo at marami talaga sigurado ang matutulungan natin no'n. We have three more years, marami pa.' (If we do this every day until 2028, then we have a total of six years, so I'm sure that we will be able to help a lot of passengers. We have three more years, many more will be served.) In its 2024 accomplishment report, the OVP logged a total of 1,780,079 beneficiaries in all its programs, with the office's 'Libreng Sakay' program having the highest number of beneficiaries at 1,025,275. The buses run from Monday to Saturday with two separate schedules: 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Castelo said that the OVP has made a proposal to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to extend the operations of the free buses to accommodate more passengers, especially during peak hours. 'Mag-submit kami lang ng mga more justifications para mapa-approve natin sa kanila. But they are also doing their own study kung feasible 'yung magdagdag pa tayo ng oras, magiging six hours,' she explained. (We will submit more justifications to the DOTr so that they can approve our proposal. But they are also doing their own studies to see if it is feasible to extend the operation and make it six hours.) 'Kaya lang…nakita niyo, kung magiging 4 to 10, that's six hours. Pero 'yung nakita niyo kasi sa PITX kanina, kailangan natin aralin kung kailangan pa magdagdag or anong lugar 'yung kailangan na dagdagan,' she added. (If it becomes 4 to 10 [am/pm], that will be six hours. But we still need to study if we need to add more hours or what area needs to have more buses.) Deployed The OVP under the leadership of Vice President Sara Duterte launched its free bus ride program in August 2022, with only five buses initially deployed in Metro Manila, Davao City, Cebu, and Bacolod. Back then, Duterte said the buses were lent to them by the private sector during the campaign period. After the 2022 elections, she said the OVP decided to deploy the buses instead in different parts of the country to support the DOTr's 'Libreng Sakay' under the government's nationwide service contracting program. Of the nine buses currently deployed, Castelo said that two were already bought by the OVP and the seven others were contracted and are expected to be returned to the owners after Duterte's term as vice president ends in 2028. ''Yung cost, maintenance, driver, 'yung mga may kondukor pa, 'yung mga maglilinis, 'yung wi-fi, lahat 'yan cost na ng Office of the Vice President,' the OVP spokesperson said. (The cost, maintenance, payment for the driver, conductor and cleaning staff, and the wifi—all of those are covered by the OVP.) 'Parang isang buwan, parang P170-180,000 'yung gastos ng OVP para doon sa nine buses na 'yun…operational expenses ng per bus,' she continued. (The OVP spends around P170-180,000 per month for the operational expenses of all the nine buses.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News
