Manila’s free jeepney rides end

MANILA, Philippines — After providing free jeepney fares to 931,831 commuters, the Libreng Sakay program of the Manila city government will not be extended immediately, Mayor Isko Moreno said on Wednesday.

“The city government will evaluate the effect of the program to determine the next steps and ensure more efficient and wider implementation,” Moreno said.

According to the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau data, the program had a steady ridership increase within the five-day implementation period, marking its last day on April 8 with 215,172 commuters assisted. The figure shows a 65.95-percent increase, compared to the 129,665 people that took the free rides on March 30.

Moreno said the city government allocated P20 million, with P4 million to be distributed each day among drivers and operators.

He noted that the program not just provided immediate relief to commuters, but also ensured a stable income support for drivers affected by the energy crisis.

Payouts for at least 1,442 public utility jeepneys participating in the local initiative were raised from P3,000 to P4,000 per day in the past days due to fuel price adjustments.

“The city government will continue on taking steps to help Manileños affected by the crisis,” Moreno said.