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| Photos courtesy of MMDA |
By Jerome Carlo Paunan
MANILA (PIA) — A spark of nostalgia is meeting a charge of modern technology as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Global Electric Transport (GET) Philippines officially sealed a partnership Wednesday to launch the “Electric Love Bus Program.”
The initiative, which offers free rides to commuters, supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision for a modernized, reliable, and sustainable public transportation system.
Marcos, in his fourth State of the Nation Address, said his administration will not only revive this iconic mode of transportation but also offer free rides to its passengers.
MMDA Chairman Don Artes and GET Philippines President Sigfrido Tinga led the signing of a memorandum of agreement at the MMDA Head Office. The program revives the “Love Bus”—a cultural staple of the 1970s—reimagining it as a fleet of fully electric, zero-emission vehicles.
“Through this partnership, we are introducing fully electric buses that are cleaner, quieter, and more modern,” Artes said.
“These buses will help reduce pollution, ease congestion on key routes, and provide a more comfortable riding experience for passengers,” he added.
The program is a cornerstone of the Marcos administration’s efforts to alleviate the financial burden and time wasted in daily commutes due to traffic congestion.
In his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Marcos emphasized that the government would not only revive this iconic mode of transport but transform it into a free public service.
Robust collaboration with the private sector will sustain the operation. Under the agreement, the MMDA will oversee route management, traffic enforcement, and infrastructure support.
GET Philippines, for its part, will handle the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the electric fleet.
There are also corporate sponsors, including Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), Megaworld Corporation, Ortigas Land, and International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialist, Inc. (ISWIMS), that expressed support for the project.
Mybelle Aragon-Gobio, President and CEO of RLC, noted that the partnership demonstrates the strength of “government leadership and private enterprise aligning behind a shared vision” for urban development.
The Electric Love Bus is expected to hit the road in the “last week of April or the first week of May. The fleet of 10 electric units, each with a 30-passenger capacity, will ply the following routes from “6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.”
EASTBOUND:
Robinsons Galleria
Estancia Mall
MMDA
Arcovia
Opus Mall
Arcovia Mall
Eastwood City
WESTBOUND:
Eastwood City
C5–Eastwood Footbridge
C5–Green Meadows Footbridge
C5–Green Meadows Gate
Tiendesitas
C5–Julia Vargas
MMDA
Estancia Mall
Robinsons Galleria
While the current rollout focuses on the C5 corridor and business districts, the MMDA plans to expand the service to other local government units within the National Capital Region. This follows pilot testing already underway in Davao and Cebu, signaling a nationwide push for the “Bagong Pilipinas” mobility brand.
Originally introduced as the country’s first air-conditioned bus service, the “Love Bus” is now poised to lead the Philippines’ transition toward a greener, more commuter-centric future. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
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