The plight of health workers going in and out of their workplaces has been a burden on the first few days of the community quarantine. To address such concern, they are given free rides, and now with more routes covering to help these frontliners, amid the implementation of an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). The free rides from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), now on its third day (started since March 18), is in line with the instruction of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. Previously only having three routes during its initial deployment, the free bus service have expanded to thirteen (13) routes: Northwest Area (Revised ROUTE) 1

• Meralco (Malanday)*
• Valenzuela City General Hospital
• MCU Hospital (Monumento)*
• Caloocan City Medical Center
• Tondo General Hospital
• Our Lady of Fatima
• Metropolitan Medical Center
• San Lazaro Hospital
• Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center
• University of Sto. Tomas Hospital
• Chinese General Hospital
• United Doctors Medical Center (Welcome Rotonda)*

Northwest Area (Revised ROUTE 2) 

• Valenzuela Gateway Complex*
• Quezon City General Hospital
• Balintawak*
• MCU Hospital (Monumento)*
• Our Lady of Fatima University
• Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center
• Philippine Orthopedic Center
• United Doctors Medical Center (Welcome Rotonda)*

Northeast Area (Revised ROUTE 3) 

• SM City SJDM (Bulacan)
• Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial (Caloocan)
• SM Fairview*
• Diliman Doctors Hospital
• Veterans Memorial Medical Center
• Lung Center of the Philippines
• Philippine Heart Center
• East Avenue Medical Center
• Philippine Children’s Hospital
• Centris Station (EDSA / Quezon Ave.)*

East Area (ROUTE 4) 

• SM City Masinag*
• Marikina Valley Medical Center
• Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center
• BFCT East Metro Transport Terminal*
• Quirino Memorial Medical Center
• Araneta Center Bus Terminal
• Robinsons Galleria*
• The Medical City – Ortigas

East Area (ROUTE 5) 

• Ortigas Hospital & Healthcare (Cainta)*
• SM City East Ortigas
• Pasig City General Hospital
• The Medical City Ortigas
• Robinsons Galleria*
• VRP Medical Center
• St. Luke’s Medical Center*
• Rizal Medical Center

Central Area (Revised ROUTE 6) 

• Centris Station (EDSA / Quezon Ave.)*
• Providence Hospital
• Capitol Medical Center
• Philippine Orthopedic Center (Banawe)
• United Doctors Medical Center (Welcome Rotonda)*
• National Children’s Hospital
• De Los Santos Medical Center
• St. Luke’s Medical Center (E. Rodriguez)
• UERM Memorial Medical Center
• MRT-3 Cubao / Araneta Center*

Central/East Area (Revised ROUTE 7) 

• Pasig City General Hospital
• Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral*
• Pasig Rotonda
• Rizal Medical Center
• The Medical City (Ortigas)
• Robinsons Galleria*
• Cardinal Santos Medical Center
• VRP Medical Center
• National Center for Mental Health
• Makati Medical Center*

Southeast Area (Revised ROUTE 8) 

• Starmall – Alabang*
• SLEX Sucat Exit*
• Bicutan Exit
• Makati Medical Center*
• St. Luke’s Medical Center – BGC*

Southwest Area (ROUTE 9) 

• Vista Mall, Daang Hari*
• Perpetual Help Medical Center (Las Piñas)
• Las Piñas General Hospital
• Baclaran Market*
• San Juan de Dios Educational Medical Center
• Pasay City General Hospital
• Adventist Medical Center
• Makati Medical Center*
• Philippine General Hospital
• Manila Doctors Hospital
• United Doctors Medical Center (Welcome Rotonda)*

Southeast Area (ROUTE 10-Feeder route) 

• RITM*
• Asian Hospital and Medical Center
• Muntinlupa City Hospital
• Starmall – Alabang*

Southeast Area (ROUTE 11) 

• Starmall – Alabang*
• SLEX Sucat Exit*
• Bicutan Exit
• San Juan de Dios EFI – Hospital
• Gil Puyat Station LRT-1*
• Philippine General Hospital
• Manila Doctors Hospital

Southeast Area (ROUTE 12) 

• SM Molino
• Imus Transport Plaza
• Las Piñas General Hospital and
• Satellite Trauma Center
• Baclaran Market*
• San Juan de Dios Educational Foundation Hospital
• Gil Puyat*
• Adventist Medical Center Manila
• Philippine General Hospital*
• Manila Doctors Hospital*

South Area (ROUTE 13) 

• Seaoil Imus Daang Hari/Aguinaldo
• Imus Transport Terminal*
• Las Piñas General Hospital
• Perpetual Help Medical Center
• RITM*
• Asian Hospital and Medical Center
• Muntinlupa Hospital
• Starmall Alabang*

*Pick-up/transfer points The transport service are to ferry passengers to and fro the designated areas, and vice versa at 5:00AM, 7:00AM, 1:00PM, 3:00PM, 5:00PM, and 7:00PM. Seventy-two (72) buses and two (2) modern Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) placed their commitment for the health workers to be transported for free along the specified routes, which are still subject to change depending on the data and requests coming from the Department of Health (DOH). Meanwhile, transport officials clarified that the free ride is not restricted to doctors and nurses only. This will also be made available to other hospital workers such as administration personnel, utility workers, security officers, and other health workers such as pharmacists, caregivers, and the like. The bus service will likewise comply with DOH containment protocols such as the observance of social distancing, body temperature checks, and regular disinfecting of vehicles. Drivers and health workers will also be given food and water. “Of all the distress this virus has caused, one of the good things it has brought forth is the indomitable bayanihan spirit of the Filipino people. Our frontline health workers have sacrificed so much, leaving the comfort of their homes to fulfill their sworn duty to save lives. And now, we have our drivers too to safely bring our warriors to the battlefield. Saludo ako sa inyong lahat!”, Tugade said. The same bus service scheme is also being advised to be replicated for all regions in Luzon while the enhanced community quarantine is being enforced. The free bus service is implemented in cooperation and close coordination with the Office of the President, Office of the Solicitor General, Supreme Court, House of Representative, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT), and private bus companies such as HM Transport, San Agustin, MetroExpress, RRCG, Precious Grace, Ceres, Jac Liner, St. Rose, Pamana, Jasper Jean, Pascual, Hi-Star, Ube Express, Hafti Transport, G-Liner, Thelman Transit, and automotive company Foton.

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