Two more oil companies that have partnered with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in its Free Ride Service for Health Workers Program will be extending their fuel assistance to bus units participating in the program until May 31, 2020. The extension will cover the period of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) being enforced in Metro Manila.
Phoenix Petroleum and Petron Corporation have expressed their commitment to sustain the fuel subsidy aid given to several bus companies in light of the recent declaration of the national government to extend the implementation of enhanced community quarantine in the National Capital Region (NCR) and other ‘high risk’ areas until end-May. The fuel aid subsidies provided by the two oil companies were supposed to end today, May 15, the date the ECQ was initially scheduled to terminate.
With this development, bus companies involved in the Free Ride Service for Health Workers Program may continue to avail of the free fuel donated by Phoenix Petroleum and Petron Corporation to help them save up on fuel expenses while transporting health personnel and other medical frontline workers to their respective medical communities daily.
Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. has assured to provide 50 liters of fuel a day to sixty (60) private bus companies participating in the program or a total daily allocation of 3,000 liters.
To avail of the free fuel, bus units can proceed to seven (7) designated Phoenix Petroleum gas stations: PX RETAIL CODO-Timog and PNX RETAIL CODO-Bahay Toro in Quezon City; PNX RETAIL CODO-Mall of Asia in Pasay City; PNX AFA PSPC-NAIA Road in Parañaque City; PNX RETAIL CODO-Malanday 1 in Valenzuela; PNX RETAIL CODO-Potrero in Malabon; and PNX AFA PSPC-Filinvest-Northgate in Alabang, Muntinlupa.
Petron Corporation has also assured that it will continue to provide 50 liters of fuel to 60 vehicle units per day or a total daily allocation of 3,000 liters. Petron Corporation’s fuel subsidy program was made possible through the donation of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) Infrastructure.
Four Petron stations (4) are assigned to accommodate the participating private bus units. These Petron stations are located at Filinvest in Alabang, Macapagal Blvd. in Parañaque City, East Avenue in Quezon City, and in Mandaluyong City.
“The fuel donations of Phoenix Petroleum and Petron will surely go a long way. We are grateful for their continuous strong partnership with us,” DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said.
Started on 18 March 2020, the DOTr's Free Ride Service for Health Workers program, which aims to help with the transport needs of medical workers amid the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, has already reached a total ridership of 770,464 nationwide as of 13 May 2020. Of this number, 158,964 are from the National Capital Region, while 611,500 are from other regions outside Metro Manila.
Aside from Phoenix Petroleum and Petron Corporation, the DOTr has also partnered with CleanFuel, which also moved to extend its fuel subsidy to participating bus companies in the Free Ride Service for Health Workers Program until May 31.
