ILOILO City – The “Libre Sakay” scheme of the national government is back in Western Visayas.
This Service Contracting Program (SCP, Phase 3) covers the following routes:
* Iloilo City (ITGSI) – Ungka via CPU
* San Miguel – Iloilo City (Jaro Big Market)
* Iloilo City – Calaparan- Villa Beach
* Bacolod City – Kabankalan City
* Bacolod City – Victorias City
* Bacolod City – Escalante City
Under the SCP, the government will pay operators or drivers of public utility vehicles (PUV) – including both modern and traditional jeepneys, UV Express, and buses – for their daily operational costs in return for free rides or provide them with monetary incentives based on their daily performance.
However, according to Raymundo Parcon, president of the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative (WVTC), the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has given limited routes to traditional jeepneys – just two routes per association/cooperative.
WVTC, for instance, was given just the Mandurriao-Iloilo City and SM City-City Proper routes for Libre Sakay.
The P7-billion budget for the third phase of this latest implementation of the SCP was released by the Department of Budget and Management on March 21 and was downloaded to the LTFRB on March 23.
Originally launched under Republic Act 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, the SCP was meant to provide a temporary livelihood to displaced transport workers during the coronavirus disease pandemic.
Parcon said SCP is beneficial not only to drivers who are assured of income but also to commuters.
“Daku gid ‘ni nga bulig sa aton mga drivers. Pigado subong ang biyahe kag kamahal sang gatong. Makasapin-sapin gawa ini nga programa. Pero ang mas makabenepisyo sini ang mga pasahero,” said Parcon.
Libre Sakay will be until June 2022.
Nationwide, the program covers 1,000 routes and participated in by 13,000 to 15,000 units of public utility vehicles./PN
