THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority today beefed up its libreng sakay in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City to accommodate more commuters, especially students, days after face-to-face classes resume.
During the actual dispatch, MMDA Acting Chairman Engineer Carlo Dimayuga III said that the agency is deploying seven buses and two military trucks to transport those commuting from Doña Carmen to Welcome Rotonda.
“The libreng sakay program in Commonwealth is expected to benefit 500 to 600 passengers per day and we are mulling to continue it until December this year,” he said.
The free rides, which will start from 6am to 11am and 1pm to 6pm, are available to all commuters in the area from Monday to Friday.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, who is also present during the activity, expressed her gratitude to the MMDA for the libreng sakay program, which she said would be of great help especially to students who commute daily.
“I am very happy that transportation agencies are working hand in hand with the local government in easing the burden of the commuting public,” Belmonte said.
Dimayuga also said that the MMDA has penalized the private contractor of the MRT-7 project construction westbound of Commonwealth Avenue, particularly in Commonwealth Market, after its girder launch caused gridlock in the area yesterday.
Meanwhile, Dimayuga led the distribution of approximately 2,000 health kits to students in Batasan High School as part of the MMDA’s initiatives for the balik-eskwela. Each kit contains vitamins, alcohol, face mask, thermometer, mouth wash, and paracetamol.
Signages about hygiene and COVID-19 protocols were also given to the school administrators to remind the students that the virus is still present and that minimum health standards must still be observed and complied to.
