It has been my habit every morning after getting up to turn on the TV and listen to nationwide news. On Tuesday morning, Oct. 10, 2023, I was a bit dazzled listening to the news on the government’s P2 billion budget for the bus free ride for Metro Manilans.
What readily comes to mind is the question why only in Metro Manila. What about the big cities in the Visayas and Mindanao? No disrespect, but does this suggest that the working class in the Visayas and Mindanao is more affluent than Manilans? Very unfair for the commuters outside of Metro Manila.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced on Monday, Oct. 9, that it would relaunch its free ride program for public utility jeepneys and buses in Metro Manila starting on Nov. 1 and until Dec. 31.
The announcement came after the Department of Budget and Management approved the P1.3 billion budget for the free rides on the Edsa Carousel and other parts of Metro Manila. LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III made the announcement prior to his suspension on accusation of corruption.
Guadiz said the “libreng sakay” program is part of the service contracting system of the Marcos administration. The LTFRB will give priority to modern jeepneys and cooperatives previously enrolled in the service contracting scheme, according to Guadiz. (Philstar)
Instead of providing free bus rides only in Metro Manila, the better option, if I may say for this administration, is to subsidize fare rates on land transportation all over the country. The government could shoulder half of the cost of the present fare rates. This way, everyone will benefit.
In developed countries like Australia where I lived for some time, but I do not know now how it is, the fares of all its land transportation, including trains, within the metropolis were subsidized by the government so that it was affordable to move around even for retirees.
It is the interminable corruption in government that has hampered development. Those who are supposed to serve the public with honesty and protect the interest of government are the ones putting us down. The billions of monies allocated as “intelligence” or “confidential” funds in government agencies that are not doing “spy work” could have been well spent in uplifting the lives of the marginalized.
Look at what is happening at the LTFRB. While Guadiz is entitled to the constitutional presumption of innocence, the agency’s dirty laundry has already been aired in public by supposed insider Jeffrey Tumbado, Guadiz’s former executive assistant.
President BBM ordered the suspension of Guadiz after Tumbado, in a press conference on Monday led by transport group Manibela, exposed the alleged grease money amounting to P5 million that the LTFRB official would accept on applications for the modification of route, issuance of special permit, and prioritization of franchise papers.
“The President does not tolerate any misconduct in his administration and has instructed the immediate investigation of this matter. He strongly condemns dishonesty and duplicity in public service,” said the Presidential Communications Office in a statement on Monday.
Tumbado claims that the first payment is tendered upon the request while the balance is given after the fulfillment of the request (SunStar Manila). In saying that Guadiz is also a “victim,” noting that he may not be collecting only for himself but was only following instruction from “higher-ups,” Tumbado was in a way providing Guadiz the way out.
Tumbado said he exposed the corruption at the LTFRB to avoid being made the “sacrificial lamb” and to straighten things up.