There was a time when commuting by public bus was safe and orderly, getting you to your destination on time. Back then, the public bus transport was not as deregulated, chaotic, and controversial as it is now. Philippine cities are among the few major cities in the world that do not have a state-owned public bus transport system that offers affordable and efficient bus routes, using which one can get around the cities with ease.
There’s a movement now in Facebook that is advocating the revival of a 1970s icon called the “Love Bus”. Created in the late 1970s, the Love Bus was operated by the Metro Manila Transit Corporation and was under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), then headed by Minister Jose P. Dans, Jr. Under this Executive Order 546, the MOTC became the agency in charge of creating primary policy, planning, programming, coordinating, implementing and administrative entity of the executive branch of the government in the promotion, development and regulation of a dependable and coordinated network of transportation and communication systems.
It was during this time that the Metro Manila Transit Corporation (MMTC) embarked on an expanded and improved bus leasing program to provide an additional 1,000 buses in Metro Manila. Using reconditioned Hino buses imported from Japan, the Love Bus offered a safe, timely, orderly, comfortable and air-conditioned bus line as a premium alternative to the rickety lawanit (coconut husk wall panel) cladded buses.
The group advocates bringing back these state-owned bus lines to offer safe and efficient operations of public buses who do not have to operate their buses in a mad and chaotic rush just to jostle and compete for commuters at the expense of public safety and horrendous traffic.
For more information this group, visit https://www.facebook.com/bringbackthelovebus/info
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