FOR his 68th birthday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday launched the “Love Bus” “Libreng Sakay” program as part of the government’s commitment to provide safe, affordable and inclusive public transport.
The President personally experienced the service as he arrived at the Valenzuela Gateway Complex aboard one of the units, together with first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and their son, Joseph Simon.
In his speech, the President said the revival of the Love Bus was part of the government’s response to Metro Manila’s worsening traffic and unreliable transport.
“Support our new Love Bus so that fares can be reduced, commuters can save a little, traffic will ease and pollution will lessen because these are electric [vehicles],” Marcos said.
“Sometimes, the wait for buses is too long, traffic is very heavy and slow, and we’re exposed to bus exhaust. All that will now be reduced,” he added.
The Love Bus Libreng Sakay program will initially deploy five electric buses each on three routes: Valenzuela Gate Complex (VGC) Terminal–DSWD, Batasan Hills Loop and VGC Terminal–Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange. Around 600 passengers per route are expected to benefit daily.
The new fleet of 20 electric Love Buses will provide free rides for all persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens at all times, while ordinary commuters may avail of free rides during peak hours from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For the entire month of September, rides will be free for everyone as part of the initiative’s launch.
Each bus has a 20 seating capacity, 10 standing capacity and space for four wheelchairs, with ramps and other accessibility features that make it PWD-friendly. The bus will operate from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
To ride the buses, commuters must download and register through the Love Bus mobile app, which is currently available on Android and will be released on the Apple App Store next week.
In partnership with the Department of Transportation and the Global Electric Transport, the Love Bus will be plying different routes in Metro Manila.
Pilot runs for the program were held in Cebu and Davao last July.
Marcos first announced the revival of Love Bus during his fourth State of the Nation Address on July 28, citing it as both a cultural revival and a modern solution to traffic and pollution in Metro Manila.
First launched in the 1970s as a project of former first lady Imelda Marcos, the Love Bus was the country’s first air-conditioned bus service, offering a modern alternative to jeepneys and regular buses, and becoming a symbol of urban progress.
