Duterte wants more bus routes in NCR to ease commuting woes — Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte has directed transport officials to add more bus routes in Metro Manila to ease commuters’ woes during the general community quarantine, Malacañang said Thursday.

Metro Manila shifted to a less stringent GCQ this week, but public transport services remain limited, forcing commuters to spend hours on the road to get to their destination.

“Ramdam din po ng Presidente ang hirap ni Juan dela Cruz sa pagko-commute,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing.

“Nagbigay ng direktiba ang Presidente na dagdagan pa ang ruta ng mga bus na bumabyahe sa Metro Manila simula po bukas, araw ng Biyernes.”

Earlier in the day, the Department of Transportation-Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (DOTr-LTFRB) said three city bus routes will be opened on Friday.

The three new routes are the following:

• Route 1: Monumento - Balagtas, Bulacan

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• Route 17: EDSA - Montalban, Rizal
• Route 18: NAIA Loop

The following city bus routes will be launched on June 8, Monday:

• Route 3: Monumento - VGC
• Route 11: Gilmore - Taytay
• Route 21: Monumento - San Jose Del Monte

The LTFRB will be meeting with the concerned bus operators within the day to determine the number of units that are to be deployed immediately.

The upcoming routes are part of the 31 rationalized routes for Metro Manila, which are set to open gradually under the GCQ, the DOTr-LTFRB said. — RSJ, GMA News