LTFRB: Free ride for health workers, APORs to continue until June 30

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MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Health workers and Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs) can continue to avail of free rides until June 30.

Retired Col. Eduardo Montealto Jr., director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) announced that Public Utility Vehicles that were accredited under their Service Contracting Program will continue to ply its designated routes until the end of the month.

“For the commuters’ guidance, the PUVs will continue to ply its usual routes for free rides,” Montealto said in an advisory that was posted on LTFRB-7’s official Facebook page.

LTFRB’s free ride program started in April 2021.

But Montelato earlier informed the public of its temporary suspension effective June 16 “to allow [the] transition of payouts.”

“However, with the unforeseen progress of preparation for payouts to drivers and operators and the assured decentralization of funds that are expected to disburse within the week, the agency perceived its capability to continue providing free rides until the end of June,” the LTFRB-7 director said.

Montealto said that while the suspension was already announced, there were some PUV owners who continued to operate their units.

“The agency commits for a continuous releasing of funds after the operators’ immediate compliance of all the necessary requirements under the program,” he said.