‘Libreng Sakay’ program to soon resume if …

The 80 modernized jeepneys

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The national government’s “Libreng Sakay” and service contracting program will soon resume should there be an approval of request of another budget to fund the program.

Regional Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) told CDN Digital that the Libreng Sakay and service contracting program would soon resume should there be an approval of the request, stressing that they were just awaiting for its guidelines.

“Dugay na siguro ang August 15. Gihulat na lang namo ang memo. Maghulat lang mi sa guidelines,” said Montealto.

(It may be earlier than August 15. We are just waiting for the memo. We are just waiting for the guidelines.)

The service contracting program, which was availed by at least 29 operators in Central Visayas, was funded under the Republic Act No. 11519 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, also known as Bayanihan 2, which expired last June 30, 2021.

A transport group, prior to the expiration period, called on the government to extend its implementation.

READ: Transport group asks gov’t to extend LTFRB’s service-contracting program

However, the regional director said that the program should not be continued if the operators and drivers, who took part in the months of April to June this year, had not yet received their payouts.

“Mao nay dapat pero depende pa sa guidelines nga ipagawas,” he added.

(That is what should be done but it would depend on the guidelines that they will release.)

Meanwhile, Montealto is asking drivers and operators, who availed of the program from April to June, to be patient in waiting for their payouts as the agency is trying to fast-track the process amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

READ: LTFRB-7 asks ‘a little bit of patience’ from drivers, operators of Libreng Sakay program

Montealto said there were a lot of factors for the delay of the payouts, including the shipment of the hard copies of the records or reports to the Central Office which were needed apart from the soft copies.

The regional director said that before they were allowed to avail of the Libreng Sakay and service contracting programs, which started around April and ended on June 30, operators and drivers were already reminded of the possible delay of the payouts, considering the situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also advised those operators and drivers, who could not wait for the payouts, not to apply when the Libreng Sakay program would be extended.

READ: ‘Libreng Sakay’ may continue even after lapse of Bayanihan 2 — solon