THREE weeks since the launch of the Libreng Sakay initiative for the Urgello, Cebu City–Parkmall, Mandaue City route, some modern public utility jeepneys (MPUJs) selected for the program are no longer picking up passengers and are now “hiding.”
Cebu City Councilor Winston Pepito, who chairs the committee on transportation, is calling for an investigation into the free ride program implemented by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
Pepito urged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to intervene to ensure that operators and drivers fulfill their responsibilities.
The DOTr launched the Libreng Sakay program, which aims to accommodate 20,000 passengers a day on July 23, 2025.
The pilot area covered is the route being traversed by the 01K MPUJs, considered one of the busiest routes in the city.
A total of 100 modern public utility vehicles (MPUVs) were selected to participate in the program, with a budget of P150 million to P160 million, including the P350,000 daily subsidy for operators.
Pepito said he received reports that 01K buses are avoiding passengers, forcing some commuters to take motorcycles-for-hire to reach their destinations.
According to Pepito, the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) also received similar complaints.
He said they talked to people, drivers and motorcycle-for-hire operators, and learned that some drivers pretend to be sick or stay in eateries because operators start collecting payments from them as early as 9 a.m.
“Instead of ‘libre,’ it has now become ‘doble’ for the riding public. Doble hassle, doble plete,” said Pepito in his Facebook post on Friday, Aug. 15.
Pepito learned that some drivers feel unmotivated, saying they only receive fixed boundary fee from operators, not pay per passenger or trip.
The councilor said drivers told him in a dialogue that they prefer not to join the program as they earned more before, especially during peak hours. / ABC