OVP's Libreng Sakay program serves over 3.54M commuters in 4 years

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) announced on Monday that its "Libreng Sakay" (free bus ride) program has served more than 3.54 million commuters nationwide since its launch in 2022. The agency stated that the program, one of its flagship initiatives, marked its fourth anniversary on August 3. "Libreng Sakay anniversary is both a celebration of the program's fourth year and a recognition of the continued trust and support of the commuting public, whose patronage has helped sustain the initiative as a reliable and responsive public service program," the OVP said in a statement. As part of the anniversary celebration, the OVP distributed 5,000 "Libreng Sakay" tokens to passengers aboard selected buses in Metro Manila, Naic town in Cavite, Bacolod City, Tacloban City, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao. The program has continued to expand since its launch, the OVP said. In its 2024 accomplishment report, the OVP said "Libreng Sakay" served 1,025,275 commuters, accounting for the largest share of the office's 1,780,079 total beneficiaries across all its programs. According to the OVP, "Libreng Sakay" buses generally operate from Monday to Saturday during peak commuting hours, from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. GMA News Online has reached out to the OVP for details on how much it has spent on the program since its launch and will update this story once a response is received. — MCG, GMA News