‘Libreng Sakay’ program
WITH its decision to resume the “Libreng Sakay” program on the EDSA Busway System, the government showed anew its concern for the welfare of the riding public.
It is public knowledge that many of the daily commuters not only in Metropolitan Manila (MM) but across the country are just ordinary wage earners and students.
“We understand the plight of our commuting public, so President Marcos gave us a directive…to exert our best effort to help ease their burden,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.
Pangandaman said whatever amount they save daily, they can reallocate equally or to more important needs such as budget for food, electricity, tuition, among others.
She announced fresh funding for the “Libreng Sakay” program that was launched two years at the height of the crippling coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
The inclusion of some P1.2 billion in new funding in the 2023 General Appropriations Act assured the resumption of the “Libreng Sakay” program.
The free rides on the EDSA Carousel is a joint program of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
It was discontinued at end-December 2022 after the funding dried up, drawing jeers and protests from commuters, particularly the poor workers and students.
Records show that a total of 164,966 373 passengers benefited from the national government’s pro-poor program.
Certainly, the resumption of the free rides is a move in the right direction at this time of economic hardship as a result of the two-year COVID-19 pandemic.
