Your Next Jeepney or Bus Ride Could Be 20% Cheaper By April 15

(SPOT.ph) Fuel prices have skyrocketed in the last few weeks. Between the pump prices and creeping cost of basic goods, the math of the daily grind is becoming more and more stressful. But there’s a bit of relief coming to the transit lines: Starting April 15, select bus and jeepney routes are set to roll out a 20% fare discount as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) reactivates its Service Contracting Program (SCP).

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Under this revived program, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will pay bus and jeepney operators an incentive of roughly P30 to P100 per kilometer to slash ticket prices for passengers by 20%. If you’re a student, senior, or persons with disabilities (PWDs), you get the 20% SCP discount on top of  your usual 20% mandatory discount.

The program is prioritizing “filler routes” that feed into the MRT-3 and LRT-2 routes (which already implemented their own 50% discount last March). It will expand to include 823 routes nationwide, with 545 routes within Metro Manila (including Laguna, Cavite and Rizal).

Not every jeepney is part of the program, so look for the official LTFRB tarps and posters. Drivers are subsidized for up to 100 kilometers per day, which will be tracked via GPS. Participating units are only required to run five days a week.

According to DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez, the program is currently running on a P1 billion budget, with P800M specifically for road-based subsidies. This initial budget is projected to sustain the program for about two weeks. However, the LTFRB has already requested an additional P5 billion to extend the relief until July.

The LTFRB is expected to drop the exact routes and finalized fare matrix tomorrow, April 11.