LTFRB is paying part of its debts to bus operators in the EDSA bus carousel to ensure the operations of more free rides in the main thoroughfare.
Commuters were reassured today by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) that the government has enough money to pay for the free bus trips in Metro Manila provided by the EDSA Carousel until September 2022.
But for the time being, according to LTFRB Chairman Cheloy Garafil, their primary concern is paying the government's outstanding debt to the two bus firms that were awarded the EDSA Carousel program contract.
The government, through the Department of Transportation (DOTr), pays EZ Transport and MMCC Transport P74 to P79 million each week for the usage of buses along EDSA.
The lack of buses transporting passengers along EDSA is said to be caused by the government's failure to pay the balance owed to the EDSA Carousel operations.
Ideally, 440 buses would be deployed for the EDSA Carousel during rush hours, however due to the payment delay, only half or 220 buses were actually dispatched.
In recent weeks, hundreds of commuters were left stranded during the Friday afternoon and Monday morning rush hours.
“We started the payout at Week Six and so far, we have already paid for part of the Week 10. We told them (bus companies) not to rush us in paying because we are doing our best to ensure an updated payout for them,” said Garafil in a press briefing.
The LTFRB has already paid the bus operators around P659 million, and has promised to pay the balance of roughly P300 million by the end of July.
Garafil stated that the DOTR is currently working with the Department of Budget and Management to hunt for monies to finance the program through the end of 2022 while giving the assurance that the government has enough money to support the EDSA Carousel until September 6 and the free bus ride will only be along EDSA and that there is no current proposal to expand the program to other urban areas like Cebu and Davao cities.
After President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. promised to keep the EDSA Carousel initiative going until December 2022, this has happened.
Tags: #LTFRB, #freeride, #commuters, #LTFRBchairCheloyGarafil