Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Central Visayas Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. | file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Phase 2 of the “Libreng Sakay” program in Central Visayas ends on October 30.
Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) said they needed to identify a new fund source before they can proceed with another round of its implementation.
“Ang atong Libreng Sakay, because exhausted na atong budget, ang availability of funds nato is only until October 30 at 12 midnight,” said Montealto.
([Phase 2 of] the Libreng Sakay program will only be implemented until midnight of October 30 because we already exhausted the allocation for the purpose and our available allocation is just enough to last until said date.)
The national government through LTFRB set aside P3 billion for the program, of which P356 million was set aside for its implementation in Central Visayas.
In an earlier interview, Montealto said the program was expected to last until December or the middle part November. But in an interview on Wednesday, he said that they will have to cease its implementation by Oct. 30.
READ: Montealto: Libreng Sakay in CV may end by mid-November
Phase two of the program was started last September 16.
“Supposedly December ang target pero ang koan man gud sa atong memorandum nga until the availability of funds. So, di na gyud maabot didto kay saka daghan kaayo nga atong gihatagan og Libreng Sakay labi na gyud ang health care workers,” he said.
(The program was supposed to continue until December but in the memorandum [that was issued by our central office] its implementation will depend on the availability of funds. And we will no longer be able to extend its implementation [until December] considering the number of health workers who availed of free ride.)
Data released by LTFRB-7 show that a total of 484 units were deployed in the region to cater the transportation needs of health care workers (HCWs) and authorized persons outside residence (APORs). LTFRB-7 targeted a total of 498 participants during the second round of the program’s implementation.
READ: LTFRB-7 targets 496 PUVs to ply under ‘Libreng Sakay’
As this developed, Montealto said that PUV operators who joined phase 2 of their Libreng Sakay program are now paid on a weekly basis. But despite this, there are still reports of delayed payouts which also resulted from delays in the submission of documentary requirements.
“Di gyud pareha sauna nga dugay gyud ang phase one, gani wala pa mabayri tanan. So ang phase two, kon kanus-a ta matapos, naa na siguro’y delay nga two weeks,” Montealto added.
(Unlike in phase 1 wherein some of the participants have not even been paid yet. In phase 2, we expected to pay everyone two weeks after we wrap up its implementation.)
A third round may also be implemented next year with the availability of fresh fund source.
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