THE national government’s Libreng Sakay program will continue in three provinces in Central Visayas, including Cebu, until June 26, 2022.
The announcement was made by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB 7) on Friday, June 18.
Eduardo Montealto, LTFRB 7 director, told SunStar Cebu that only provincial buses operating in Cebu, Bohol and Negros Oriental can avail of the Libreng Sakay program, also known as Phase 3 of the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) Service Contracting Program.
According to Montealto, the LTFRB 7 will cover selected buses in Northern Cebu with the following routes: from Cebu City to Bogo City and vice versa; from Tabogon to North Bus Terminal and vice versa; and from Tuburan to North Bus Terminal and vice versa.
In Cebu South, selected buses will traverse the following routes: South Road Properties to Cebu IT Park, Cebu City to Alcoy, Cebu City to Moalboal, Cebu City to Pinamungajan, Cebu City to Balamban via Toledo City and Dumaguete City to Bayawan and vice versa.
In Negros Oriental, selected buses will traverse the following routes: Dumaguete City to Jimalalud and Dumaguete City to Mabinay and vice versa.
And in Bohol, selected buses will traverse the following routes: Tagbilaran City to Panglao Airport via Dauis, Lourdes-Tawala-Danao-Panglao Municipal hall; Tagbilaran City to San Jose, Talibon via Tubigon; Tagbilaran City to Talibon via Balilihan-Carmen and Tagbilaran City to Mabini and vice versa.
Phase 3 of the DOTr’s Libreng Sakay program formally ended on June 15 with around 11.7 million commuters in Central Visayas benefitting from it.
Phase 3 of the free ride program, which ran from April to June 15, had P570 million in funding.
It was participated in by 1,420 public utility vehicles from Cebu, Bohol and Negros Oriental. (PAC / JKV)