BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
Bacolod Councilor Dindo Ramos said yesterday that they are planning to meet with different stakeholders of the transport sector to give other jeepney drivers the chance to participate in the city’s “Libre Sakay (free ride)” program.
Aside from the 42 drivers who benefitted from the program that started yesterday, Ramos said another batch of drivers will be included in the list today.
He also stressed that the “Libre Sakay” program will only be for essential workers and medical frontliners.
Under the program, Ramos said they have proposed that each driver participating in the “Libre Sakay” will receive P3,000 to cover the rental, gasoline expense and the driver’s income.
The jeepneys will start as early as 4:30 a.m. from their point of origin and the last trip will be at 10:30 p.m., he said.
The public utility vehicles will have their terminals in seven barangays of the city – Granada, Banago, Bata, Hamdumanan, Mansilingan, Estefania and Sum-ag.
AMBULANCES
Seven barangays in Bacolod, meanwhile, will soon have a new ambulance each after Rep. Greg Gasataya made the request from the Department of Health during the 2019 budget hearing recently.
Gasataya said the seven ambulances will be turned over to barangays Punta-Taytay, Tangub, Felisa, Handumanan, Cabug, Mansilingan, and Banago.
During the DOH pre-budget briefing Saturday, he said he was informed that the DOH will deliver the ambulances to Bacolod soon since the bidding has already been conducted at the DOH 6 and the prototype done.
Gasataya said he has requested DOH 6 regional director, Dr. Marlyn Convocar, to prioritize the ambulances for Bacolod City because these are urgently needed.
The ambulances will help augment the equipment of the city. These will also be used to transport Covid-19 patients to the isolation facilities, he said.*
