By Gabriela Baron
The Office of the Vice President (OVP), headed by Vice President Sara Duterte, launched on Wednesday, Aug. 3, the “Libreng Sakay” program aimed at easing the daily commute of Filipinos returning to work or schools.
Duterte said five buses were lent to her when she was still running for the vice presidency position in the 2022 elections.
After she assumed office, Duterte said the buses were then lent to OVP and decided instead to use the buses of the office’s “Libreng Sakay,” a program currently being run by the Department of Transportation.
“We hope that through this program we will be able to provide relief to some of our fellow Filipinos who rely on public transport for daily commute to work, school, and many other places,” Duterte said during the launch of the program at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).
“Mas makakatulong kahit limang units lang ito, mas makakatulong ito to give support to the libreng sakay of the DOTr,” she added.
Duterte said two buses will be deployed in Metro Manila, and one each in Cebu, Bacolod, and Davao. –ag