ILOILO City — The city government is set to launch a targeted free ride program for its employees as early as next week, positioning it as a strategic response to rising transport costs while firmly ruling out a similar subsidy for students due to financial constraints.
Mayor Raisa Treñas said feasibility studies for the proposed “libreng sakay” program are nearly complete, with routes mapped out to maximize limited government resources and ensure efficient deployment.
“Ginpang-isa-isa gid nila ang mga rota sang aton employees,” Treñas said.
The initiative, being finalized by the city’s REACH unit in coordination with the General Services Office (GSO) and Fleet Management Office, focuses on providing relief to government workers most affected by transport costs.
“We reviewed kun diin gid ang location sang tanan nga employees. Limited ang resources sang syudad, so indi gid tanan mahatagan. Tunga-tungaon naton para maka-deploykita sang buses,” she explained.
No free rides for students
Despite calls to expand the subsidy, Treñas stressed that offering free rides to students is financially unviable, even for wealthier global cities.
“Indi masarangan sang syudad ang libre sakay para sa mga estudyante. Bisan gani ang first world city pareho sang New York naga-ako nga indi nila kaya i-sustain,” Treñas said.
Instead, the city is prioritizing interventions that would stabilize transport fares and benefit a wider segment of commuters, including students.
“Mas maayo nga buligan naton ang transport sector para indi sila magtaas sang plete. Sa sini nga paagi, masarangan gihapon sang mga estudyante ang pamasahe,” she added.
The city has already rolled out fuel subsidies for jeepney, tricycle, and taxi drivers to cushion the impact of volatile fuel prices.
Preparing for worst-case scenarios
Treñas said the transport measures form part of a broader contingency plan as the city braces for uncertainties tied to global fuel trends and potential disruptions in local transport operations.
“Very fluid gid ini nga crisis. After pila ka oras, naga-iba naman ang situation. Amo na nga dapat prepared kita,” she said.
The mayor disclosed that the city’s supplemental budget includes provisions for a possible escalation to “Phase 3,” which could involve a total transport shutdown.
“When you prepare for a crisis, indi pwede nga Phase 1 lang. Dapat preparedka gid for the worst. Phase 3 means possible total shutdown sang transport, so kinahanglan may resources kita,” she explained.
The city is also monitoring national guidelines on the possible declaration of a state of calamity, particularly in relation to extreme weather conditions linked to El Niño.
“We will only declare if needed kag kun tsakto gid ang timing, based sa guidelines sang Department of the Interior and Local Government. But at the same time, ginapreparahan naton ang tanan,” Treñas said.
She warned that while the El Niño phenomenon may bring reduced rainfall, it could still trigger extreme weather events.
“Ginapaandaman kita nga bisan lesser ang ulan, dapat prepared kita for worst-case scenarios, pareho sang grabe nga bagyo,” she said.
Treñas emphasized that targeted interventions and proactive planning remain crucial in ensuring the city’s resilience amid evolving economic and environmental challenges./PN
