Free, discounted bus rides soon, says DOTr

Commuters could get some relief as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will implement discounted fares or free rides in the coming weeks.

According to Joseph Morong’s Tuesday report on 24 Oras, the DOTr has a ₱1 billion budget for the service contracting of public utility vehicles, to be released by the Department of Budget and Management.

“Kumbaga subsidized ang pamasahe ng mga commuter o libreng sakay ang end goal ang makinabang yung mas nakararami,” said Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez.

(The end goal is subsidized fares or free rides so that many will benefit from it.)

Those traveling to the provinces may have to spend more, as bus fares have increased for routes such as Baler, Aurora, and Baguio, despite the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) having yet to approve fare hikes.

Some people continue with their trip since they want to spend time with their families this Holy Week.

The New NAIA Infra Corp. said it is expecting a slight decrease in the number of plane passengers this Holy Week, from 1,326,730 passengers in 2025 to 1,353,265 expected passengers in 2026.

Unlike last year, fewer vehicles were observed along the northbound lane of the North Luzon Expressway.

However, the NLEX Corporation said it is expecting an influx of vehicles from Wednesday noon until early Thursday morning.

SMC Tollways is also expecting a 10 to 15% decrease in the number of motorists traveling during the Holy Week exodus.

A slight increase was recorded at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), with 369,743 passengers this year from Sunday to Monday, compared to 340,219 during the same period last year.

According to the DOTr, some ferry companies said they might reduce the number of their ships, but the agency is prepared to deploy Coast Guard vessels.

The Department of Public Works and Highways also repaired some roads to ensure smooth travel such as the town of Gumaca in Quezon, but some roadworks were suspended and will resume on April 6.

According to the DOTr, about six million passengers are expected to travel this Holy Week, prompting the Philippine National Police (PNP) to be on heightened alert and deploy 90,000 cops.

Light rail operations were also suspended during the Holy Week for their annual maintenance, but the EDSA Bus Carousel will operate for 24 hours. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA News