OVP’s ‘Libreng Sakay’ to aid stranded commuters amid strike

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) said Tuesday it is ready to redeploy its “Libreng Sakay” buses to areas with numerous stranded commuters as transport group Manibela launched a strike against the government’s public transport modernization program.

The OVP told GMA News  Online that the redeployment of its buses starting Wednesday, August 14, would be coordinated with the Metropolitan Manila Development  Authority (MMDA).

Currently, four OVP buses provide free transport services in the National Capital Region (NCR), while a bus was dispatched to each of the following cities: Cebu, Bacolod, and  Davao.

A new bus will be added on Wednesday. This will ply the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) to Naic, Cavite route.

In Metro Manila, two of OVP’s buses normally ply the EDSA Bus Carousel route—from PITX to Monumento.

The other two are giving free rides along the Quiapo-Commonwealth Avenue route.

Manibela staged a transport strike this week after President  Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. rejected a Senate resolution calling for the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program's (PUVMP's) suspension.

Proposed Senate Resolution 1096, signed by 22 of the 23 senators, urged the government to temporarily suspend the program.

The lawmakers cited concerns over the large number of unconsolidated PUV  units, phaseout of the iconic jeepney design "in favor of so-called modern jeepneys," and low percentage of approved routes, among others. — DVM, GMA Integrated News