Article by Mekiah Gabrielle Cadiao Graphics by Justine Arriola
December 12, 2022
Who doesn’t love anything free?
On November 12, 2022, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) announced that commuters will be able to enjoy 24/7 free bus rides with the EDSA carousel starting on December 15. Three days later, they also announced that the free rides would begin on December 1, earlier than the initially reported date.
Previously, the city buses were one of the root causes of the heavy traffic along EDSA. Even with the strategically placed bus stops along EDSA, bus drivers used to pick up passengers anytime and anywhere.
With the new allotted bus lane, both bus drivers and commuters have become more disciplined. Although traffic jams are still prevalent and bus ride lengths are now comparable to the MASS rapid transit (MRT), some commuters say that a bus ride from Pasay to Quezon Avenue only takes 15 minutes.
The Department of Budget and Management (BDM) has allocated a budget of 10 million to 20 million pesos daily. They pay bus companies for free rides in December.
In April 2022, near the end of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term, EDSA carousel bus rides were also free. However, around June 2022, the DoTr received complaints from concerned netizens because it had come to their attention that some bus drivers weren’t paid on time, and some did not receive their pay at all.
The free rides will only accommodate commuters until December 2022, there is no announcement nor an allotted budget for January 2023 and the coming months. Though the DoTr has requested Congress to make provisions for the extension of free rides until the next year.
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