DOTr expands free ride service for health workers beyond NCR

Image from the DOTR Facebook page

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will expand its free ride program for health workers to areas outside Metro Manila starting Wednesday, April 15.

The free transport service will now cover 20 routes compared to just three routes during its initial implementation on March 18, the department said in an advisory on Sunday.

The new routes will extend to nearby provinces such as Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna, to help ferry health workers to their respective hospitals amid the suspension of mass transport operations in Luzon.

Below is the updated list of routes of the free service program of the DOTr for health workers:

Route 1: Meralco, Malanday to United Doctors Medical Center
Route 2: Valenzuela Gateway Complex to United Doctors Medical Center
Route 3: SM City SJDM to Centris Station
Route 4: SM Masinag to The Medical City Ortigas
Route 5: Ortigas Hospital and Healthcare Center to Rizal Medical Center
Route 6: MRT 3 Cubao to Philippine General Hospital via MRT 3 Centris Station
Route 7: Pasig City General Hospital to Makati Medical Center
Route 7A: The Medical City (Ortigas) to VRP Medical Center
Route 8: Starmall Alabang to St. Luke’s Medical Center – BGC
Route 9: Vista Mall Daang Hari to United Doctors Medical Center
Route 10: RITM to Starmall Alabang
Route 11: Starmall Alabang to Manila Doctors Hospital
Route 12: Dasmariñas Pala-Pala to Manila Doctor’s Hospital
Route 13: Daang Hari/Aguinaldo Highway to Starmall Alabang
Route 14: SM City Taytay to St. Luke’s Medical Center – QC
Route 15: SLEX Sucat Exit to Philippine General Hospital
Route 16: SM City San Mateo to Robinsons Galleria
Route 17: SM City SJDM to SM Fairview
Route 18: Baclaran to Monumento
Route 19: First Cabuyao Hospital and Medical Center to Starmall Alabang
Route 20: SM City Masinag to Lawton

According to DOTr, the service will operate 24/7 on two shifts, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The DOTr has also recently partnered with navigation sites Google Maps and Sakay.ph to have the routes searchable in its websites and applications.

To date, a total of 186 public utility vehicle units consisting of buses, vans, and modern PUVs are being operated by the department under the program.

On top of this, the DOTr has also expanded its free ride operations to medical frontiers residing in other regions through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Land Transportation Office.

EDV