Gov't rolls out modernized city buses

The government has rolled out modernized city and provincial buses that will be used as models in efforts to upgrade the 6,000 buses in the country.

A report by Katrina Son on Unang Balita on Monday said the 120-passenger capacity buses feature wider walkways and other amenities such as CCTV cameras and, in provincial buses, comfort rooms.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Martin Delgra said the buses were rolled out in an effort to address efficiency and modernization issues in public transportation.

Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark de Leon, for his part, said there is a need to modernize passenger buses along with jeepneys in Metro Manila as they are "unfit" for city operations.

"Yung mga bus natin sa Metro Manila hindi talaga 'yan fit for city operations. Aside from jeepneys na mino-modernize natin, kasama yung mga buses na kailangan nating i-modernize," he said.

Delgra noted that the modernization effort may result in fare hikes across the board.

"As to magkano, 'di talaga natin ma-speculate man lang. But what I can say is even as we speak, meron pong mga pending petitions for fare hike to include buses," Delgra said.

GMA News has yet to receive statements from the Integrated Metropolitan Bus Operators Association and Philippine Bus Operators Associations regarding the pending fare hike and modernization effort. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News