‘Pink Fever’ infects 60 cabs in Metro

MANILA, Philippines—From passenger jeepneys, buses and UV Express shuttles, the Pink Fever in Metro Manila has spread to taxi cabs.

Around 60 LBR Transport Inc. cabs have joined the Pink4 Project of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) which gives priority to women, children, senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs).

The participation of the taxi firm—owned and operated by actor Luis Manzano and some of his friends—kicked off Wednesday with a motorcade from the LTFRB main office on East Avenue to the nearby Quezon Memorial Circle.

The taxi cabs which can be identified by the pink stripes on their bodies will exclusively pick up and transport only women, children, the elderly and PWDs in Metro Manila during the morning and evening rush hour, the LTFRB said in a statement.

The Pink4 Project was initiated on Feb. 14 by 14 passenger jeepneys plying the Pateros-Guadalupe route. The participating jeepneys—their drivers clad in pink shirts—picked up just women, children, seniors and PWDs between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., and again from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Soon, 16 UV Express vehicles plying the Trinoma-Tandang Sora route followed suit and on Monday, the RRCG Bus Inc. deployed a pink bus plying the Quiapo-Cainta route from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“We are glad that more PUV operators are joining hands with us to ease the burden of finding a convenient commute for these special groups which often have difficulty getting a ride home or to reach their destinations during rush hour; we hope to see more public transport services participate in the program for a good cause,” LTFRB Chair Winston Ginez said.

In an interview, Manzano said that when the LTFRB asked him and his partners to join the project, they didn’t hesitate.

“Not one of us disagreed because we all understand we have a duty to [pay it forward],” Manzano said, adding that he hoped that more transport groups would get involved.

One of Manzano’s partners, Bong Medel, said they were trying to convince other taxi operators to join the Pink4 project.

When asked about the provisional P10 cut in the taxi flag-down rate implemented by the LTFRB this week, Medel said that they were complying with the order despite the fact that it was resulting in a loss of income on the part of both drivers and operators.