‘Libre Sakay’ drivers get service fee

The 96 public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers who have worked for two days under the “Libre Sakay” program of the Bacolod City government have received their service fee of P3,000 each from Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday.

The money for the service fee for Monday and Tuesday totalling P288,000 was donated by friends and supporters of the mayor. The City Government will shoulder the service fee of the drivers only starting today after completing some requirements.

The service fee was distributed to the drivers by personnel of the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) in the presence of Executive Assistant Samuel Montoyo, yesterday afternoon.

The “Libre Sakay” Program was put into effect on Monday (Sept 14) after the mayor requested Councilors Dindo Ramos and Cindy Rojas to meet with the transport group leaders last Sunday to discuss the parameters of the proposed transport system.

For each day under the program, there will be 48 drivers plying the City to service medical and healthcare workers and essential services workers.

The Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) has assigned seven (7) point-to-point jeepney routes. Each driver is expected to ply ten (10) round-trips per day along one assigned route.
Seven (7) take-off points were set at the following barangays: Granada, Estefania, Bata, Banago, Sum-ag, Handumanan, and Mansilingan.

There are ten (10) departure times from each take-off point, starting from 4:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and with two-hour interval each. The central drop-off is at the Bacolod City Public Plaza.

Every day, the transport groups will choose the 48 drivers for that day.

Leonardia said the “Libre Sakay” is a program of the City Government to address the suspension of public transportation in Bacolod, as it has been placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from September 8 to 30.

Public transport is not allowed in areas under MECQ as mandated by the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Leonardia and other City officials had a teleconference with Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Regional Director Richard Osmeña Saturday night during which, Osmeña agreed to allow the City to use public utility jeepneys to provide point-to-point transport services for medical/healthcare workers and other essential workers on a pre-arranged basis without breaking protocols under MECQ.

Joining that teleconference were Councilors Cindy Rojas and Dindo Ramos, City Administrator Em Ang, City Legal Officer Atty. Joselito Bayatan, and Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Edward Joseph Cuansing.* (CITY PIO)