Bus firms participating in the free ride program of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) are set to receive fuel subsidies from the agency to sustain the continued operation of the service as Luzon remains under enhanced community quarantine.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade announced on Thursday that 60 private bus companies will each be given an allocation of 50 liters of fuel daily during the implementation of the fuel subsidy program in partnership with oil company Phoenix Petroleum Philippines.
“For our buses to continue bringing our frontliners to their medical communities, we need to at least ease their burden. We are grateful for our donor, Phoenix Petroleum,” Tugade said in a statement.
According to the DOTr, bus units should at least complete two round trips on a given day before they will be provided with a voucher at different staging areas to avail of the subsidy.
The vouchers will be certified and signed by the staging area leader and will be signed by the authorized representative at the assigned gas stations, the Department explained.
Bus units can avail the subsidy on seven Phoenix gas stations, namely PX Retail CODO-Timog and PNX Retail CODO-Bahay Toro in Quezon City, PNX Retail CODO-Mall of Asia in Pasay City, PNX AFA PSPC-NAIA Road in Parañaque City, PNX Retail CODO-Malanday 1 in Valenzuela, PNX Retail CODO-Potrero in Malabon, and PNX AFA PSPC-Filinvest-Northgate in Alabang, Muntinlupa.
The DOTr said that private bus units will receive fuel subsidy in the entire duration of the program. (Alexandira Dennise San Juan)