The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) yesterday paid a total of P446 million to drivers and operators of public utility buses (PUB) plying the EDSA Busway under the “Libreng Sakay” of the Service Contracting Program (SCP).
Based on LTFRB data, the amount has been disbursed as payment for weeks six to 13 of the SCP Phase 3.
LTFRB is currently processing the payments for weeks 14 and 15.
According to Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil, LTFRB chairman, the agency is now in close coordination with the PUB consortia operating the EDSA Busway to begin processing of payments for week 16, which ended last week.
Earlier, the new LTFRB administration vowed to expedite the payments of PUB drivers and operators on the EDSA Busway amid complaints that they were not paid for servicing passengers along the said route.
LTFRB has asked bus consortium ES Transport and Mega Manila Consortium Corp. to deploy the full capacity of 440 buses daily specially during the rush hour.
Earlier, LTFRB assured that it has enough funds to finance the operation of the Libreng Sakay program at the EDSA Busway until this September and it will ask additional funds to extend the service till December this year.
Aside from the EDSA Busway, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will also implement the Libreng Sakay for students program at the Light Rail Transit line 2 starting August 22 until November 4, 2022.
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed a new DOTr official as announced by Malacañang.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista led the oath-taking of Roberto Cecilio Lim as the new undersecretary for aviation and airports. Lim is the former country head to the International Air Transport Association and former vice chairman of the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines.
