Cebu City offers free bus rides to help ease holiday transpo woes

Local

TO HELP ease a worsening transport crunch, the Cebu City Government will deploy free bus rides to help alleviate the growing burden on commuters during the holiday season.

This follows a public appeal that highlighted severe transportation shortages across the city.

Mayor Nestor Archival ordered the initiative in response to mounting complaints from residents who have struggled to secure reliable public transport amid heavy traffic, limited jeepney availability, and increased travel demand in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

The decision came after a widely circulated open letter posted on social media by Fidel Laurence Ricafranca on Dec17, in which he described the daily difficulties faced by ordinary commuters, including workers, patients with critical illnesses, pregnant women, and students who are often left waiting for hours or unable to book rides at night.

In his post, Ricafranca said that many commuters have been forced to rely on motorcycle taxis and ride-hailing applications, which are frequently unavailable or costly, while jeepneys, both traditional and modern, remain overcrowded.

“Halos wa na juy masakyan ang mga yanong taw diri sa Cebu,” Ricafranca wrote, calling the situation a “transport emergency” and urging city leaders to mobilize government resources to provide free and reliable mass transportation during the Christmas season.

Archival directed concerned offices, including the Department of General Services, to immediately study and prepare the deployment of free bus services using available city resources.

The mayor emphasized that while Cebu City continues to pursue long-term and sustainable transport reforms, immediate and practical interventions are necessary to address the present hardship of commuters.

“The solution is not 100%, but at least kabalo sila nga naa tay gihimo,” the mayor said.

The free bus rides are intended as a temporary relief measure to provide safer, more accessible, and more affordable transport options, particularly for residents traveling during peak hours and late at night.

The Cebu City Government said details on routes, schedules, and operational guidelines will be announced once finalized, and assured the public that regular updates will be released to keep commuters informed.

Archival also welcomed constructive public feedback, noting that citizen participation and open dialogue are essential in identifying urgent problems and crafting responsive solutions.(TGP)