In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we haven’t failed to notice our nation’s (and the world’s) heroes: every single person who has worked to help alleviate the current situation. This includes, but certainly isn’t limited to, all medical and healthcare workers and hospital personnel. They have risen to the occasion just as we needed them to — even in the face of countless obstacles.
When the PH government announced the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine, this included all forms of transportation. Employees of hospitals and healthcare centres were forced to walk to and from work, regardless of distance.
FREE bus rides available for all hospital and health centre workers
Thankfully, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) started deploying free bus rides for all medical and healthcare workers around Metro Manila. Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), Valenzuela Gateway Complex, LTO Central Office (East Ave.), and Starmall Alabang are currently functioning as staging areas for these free services.
- UPDATE: As of 6 Apr 2020, DOTr’s free bus rides for frontline health workers are now available nationwide. Not only operating in NCR, this service currently runs in Regions 2, 3, 4-A, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.
Not limited to doctors and nurses, these free bus rides are available for all employees of hospitals and healthcare centres. Included are pharmacists, caregivers, security officers, utility personnel, administrative workers, and the like.
The buses will be taking necessary health and safety measures in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; social distancing, body temperature checks, and regular sanitation services will take place daily. Bus drivers and health workers will also be given food and water.
Routes, pick-up and transfer points for free bus rides
As of 21 Mar 2020, a total of 14 routes, 74 buses, and two modern public utility vehicles (PUVs) have been made available to provide our local health workers with free bus rides around Metro Manila.
These buses will transport passengers to the following routes and vice versa at 5am, 7am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, and 7pm.
UPDATES:
- As of 1 Apr, this service now operates 24/7. From just three routes when it was first implemented on 18 March, a total of 106 buses have been deployed and 19 routes are now available. Starting 15 Apr, the DOTr will be launching its 20th route for free bus rides for medical workers.
Northwest Area
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
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
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
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
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
Route 7
- Pasig City General Hospital
- Immaculate Conception 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
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)
- Research Institute for Tropical Medicine*
- 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
- Research Institute for Tropical Medicine*
- Asian Hospital and Medical Center
- Muntinlupa Hospital
- Starmall Alabang*
East Area
Route 14
- SM City Taytay
- SM City East Ortigas
- The Medical City Ortigas
- Robinsons Galleria* (East Area Routes 4, 5, and Central/East Area Route 7 Transfer Point)
- Cardinal Santos Medical Center
- SM City Sta. Mesa
- De Los Santos Medical Center
- St. Luke’s Medical Center (E. Rodriguez)
South Area
Route 15
- SLEX Sucat Exit*
- SE Routes 8 and 11 Transfer Point
- Medical Center Parañaque
- Unihealth – Parañaque Hospital & Medical Center
- Olivarez General Hospital
- The Premier Medical Center
- Baclaran Market*
- SE Routes 9 and 8, and SW Route 12 Transfer Point
- Pasay City General Hospital
- Adventist Medical Center
- Philippine General Hospital
East Area
Route 16
- SM City San Mateo*
- St. Vincent Hospital
- Immaculate Conception Hospital
- Marikina Valley Medical Center
- Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center
- St. Anthony Medical Center
- BFCT East Metro Transport Terminal*
- East Area Route 4 Transfer Point
- The Medical City Ortigas
- Robinsons Galleria*
- East Area Routes 4, 5, 14 and Central/East Area Route 7 Transfer Point
North East Area
Route 17
- SM CITY SJDM – NE Route 3 Transfer Point*
- North Caloocan Doctors Hospital
- Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Doctors Hospital (Caloocan)
- Bagong Silang Market
- National Center for Mental Health (Camarin)
- Caloocan City North Medical Center
- Almar Market
- Novaliches Market / Queensberry Hospital
- Bernardino General Hospital II
- SM Fairview/Commonwealth Hospital & MC*
- NE Route 3 Transfer Point
South West Area
Route 18
- Robinsons Place General Trias / Divine Grace Medical Center
- San Pedro Calungsod Medical Center (Kawit)*
- Binakayan Hospital and Medical Center
- St. Dominic Medical Center (Bacoor)
- PITX*
- Baclaran Market*
- SE Routes 9, 12, and 15 Transfer Point
South East Area
Route 19
- First Cabuyao Hospital and Medical Center*
- Balibago Transport Terminal – Sta. Rosa*
- Caltex Rizal Blvd. (New Sinai MDI Hospital & Marian Hospital Drop-Off Point)
- Perpetual Help Medican Center – Biñan*
- Biñan Community Hospital
- Westlake Medical Center
- Divine Mercy Hospital
- SM Center Muntinlupa*
- Medical Center Muntinlupa (MPI)
- Starmall – Alabang*
- SE Routes 8, 10, 11, and 13 Transfer Point
East Area
Route 20
- SM Masinag*
- East Area Route 4 Transfer Point
- BFCT East Metro Transport Terminal*
- East Area Route 4 & 16 Transfer Point
- Quirino Memorial Medical Center
- MRT-3 Cubao Station*
- EDSA Line Route 18 & East Route 4 Transfer Point
- UERM Memorial Medical Center
- National Children’s Hospital
- De Los Santos Medical Center
- St. Luke’s Medical Center (E. Rodriguez)
- United Doctors Medical Center (Welcome Rotonda)*
- NW Routes 1 and 2, SW Routes 9 and 18 and Central Route 6 Transfer Point
- University of Santo Tomas Hospital
- LRT-1 Lawton
- Philippine General Hospital
*Pick-up/transfer points
Note: Routes are subject to change depending on the advice of the Department of Health.
DOTr collaborates with Google Maps
To help medical workers find the most ideal routes to and from their places of work, DOTr has partnered with Google Maps. With the help of the app or the web, frontliners can now find the nearest free bus rides available to them.
Here’s medical workers can use Google Maps to find the nearest available free bus rides:
- Enter your destination.
- Tap ‘Directions’.
- Select the public transit tab.
- Maps will pull up a recommended route that uses the DOTr’s hospital shuttle routes when available.
Stay tuned here, or check the Department of Transportation – Philippines Official Facebook page for updates.
