MANILA – The Philippine National Police’s (PNP) “Libreng Sakay” has so far transported 11,480 stranded workers and commuters since public transportation in Metro Manila was suspended due to the enhanced community quarantine.
PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa directed the Directorate for Police Community Relations (DPCR) and the Police Community Affairs and Development Group (PCADG) to continue the project which is now on its ninth week of operations following the region’s shift to a general community quarantine.
“Aside from this Libreng Sakay project in the major highways along Edsa, we also launched Free Ride Project in communities and barangays using police vehicles to provide a free ride to elderly and pregnant women, nursing mothers, and women with small children,” Gamboa said in a statement Sunday.
In the latest report from the Operations Management Division of PCADG, a daily average of 300 to 400 commuters were transported by PNP trucks and vehicles from March 19 to June 7.
The PNP Libreng Sakay Project is now traversing 10 major routes using 12 buses and troop carriers to and from the following pick up and drop off points within Metro Manila and nearby areas:
Central Terminal (Manila City Hall to Quezon Avenue MRT 3 and vice versa
Camp Crame to Tungko in San Jose Del Monte City (via Commonwealth and vice versa)
Camp Crame to Rodriguez, Rizal (Montalban) via Litex and vice versa
Camp Crame to Taytay, Rizal (via Ortigas and vice versa)
Camp Crame to Meycauayan City, Bulacan (via Mc Arthur Highway and vice versa)
Camp Crame to Antipolo City and vice versa
Pasay City to Monumento (Edsa) North Bound and vice versa
Monumento to Pasay City Taft (Edsa) South Bound and vice versa
Camp Crame to Zapote Bacoor, Cavite and vice versa, and
Camp Crame to Novaliches, Quezon City and vice versa
The free ride is operational daily from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Inquiries on the free ride may be coursed through the PNP Helpline 16677.
“It is our desire to ferry more people but we give premium to the health and safety of the public availing of these services. We hope for the understanding of everyone,” DPCR head Maj. Gen. Dionardo Carlos said.
Carlos said the effort is being replicated by the regional police offices in coordination with local government units and other government agencies.
He said police personnel were instructed to implement safe physical distancing by reducing the load capacity of the vehicles to 50 percent.
Meanwhile, the number of police officers infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has reached 373.
Data from the PNP Health Service as of Sunday night showed 208 patients have recovered while the death toll has risen to five.It is also monitoring 716 probable cases and 760 suspect cases.