THE National Government will revive the iconic “Love Bus” and make it free for commuters, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday, July 28, 2025.
During his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona), Marcos said the Love Bus will be pilot tested in Davao and Cebu.
“Magtatanong ako sa iba sa inyo, naaalala pa ba ninyo ‘yung tinatawag nating ‘Love Bus’? Ito ‘yung popular na pampublikong bus sa Metro Manila na sinimulan noong 1970s,” he said.
(Let me ask some of you -- do you still remember what we used to call the ‘Love Bus’? It was the popular public bus in Metro Manila that started in the 1970s.)
“Ngayon, hindi lang natin ibabalik ang Love Bus, gagawin pa natin itong libre. Pauna pa lamang -- pilot testing pa lamang ‘yung nasa Davao at sa Cebu. Susundan pa ito ng ibang mga lugar sa Visayas at sa Mindanao,” he added.
(Now, we’re not just bringing back the Love Bus — we’re making it free. What we have in Davao and Cebu is just the beginning — it’s still in the pilot testing stage. More areas in the Visayas and Mindanao will soon follow.)
Marcos vowed the continuity of big-ticket infrastructure projects of the government even beyond his term, including major roads, bridges, train system, seaports and airports, among others.
“Nagpupundar po kasi tayo para sa kinabukasan (Because we are investing in the future). We are not building only for today; we are building also for tomorrow,” he said.
Marcos touted the recent increase of discounts being given to persons with disability, senior citizens, and students riding the MRT and LRT to 50 percent.
He said that before the year ends, the construction of the 32 kilometers Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge crossing through Manila Bay will begin. It is expected to significantly cut down the travel time from Bataan to Cavite and vice versa.
“Kung ang biyahe ngayon mula Mariveles hanggang Naic ay umaabot ng limang oras, balang araw ito ay magiging apatnapu’t limang minuto na lamang,” he said.
(If the travel time from Mariveles to Naic takes five hours today, one day it will be reduced to just 45 minutes.)
“Sa 2026, inaasahang magbubukas na sa motorista ang bahagi ng extension ng SLEX mula Sto. Tomas, Batangas hanggang Tiaong, Quezon. Kapag natapos ang buong proyekto, ang dating apat na oras na biyahe, magiging isang oras na lang,” he added.
(By 2026, a portion of the SLEX extension from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Tiaong, Quezon is expected to open to motorists. Once the entire project is completed, the usual four-hour trip will be reduced to just one hour.)
The President also noted the completion of the Nalil-Sikkiat Bridge, which is one of the three major bridge projects in the province of Tawi-Tawi.
He said the Malassa-Lupa Pula bridge is also expected to be opened to the public within the year.
Marcos said the repair and rehabilitation of Guadalupe, Cabagan-Sta. Maria and San Juanico Bridges will continue.
“Sa Build Better More, higit ang kapakanan at kaligtasan ng mamamayan ang napakamahalaga. At ang mga proyekto, tama dapat ang disenyo. Mataas dapat ang kalidad. Natatapos sa takdang oras. At naaalagaan at namementina nang Mabuti,” he said.
(Under Build Better More, the welfare and safety of the people are top priorities. Projects must be properly designed, built with high quality, completed on time, and well-maintained.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines)