Ilocos Norte sets 50% less fare for studes from afar

By Jennifer T. Pambid

LAOAG CITY -- The provincial government of Ilocos Norte launched Sept. 9 Sirib shuttles offering 50 percent fare discount exclusively for students to lessen the expenses of youth traveling from remote areas to university centers,

            The program was made possible through the Metro Ilocos Norte Council (MINC) and Ilocos Norte Youth Office (INYO).

“This is a program providing shuttle service at a very discounted rate to our students from the other LGUs in going inside and outside Laoag kasi nandito sa Laoag City at Batac City ang mga eskwelahan natin,” said Cipriano Hilarion Martinez, MINC consultant.

With the project, Gov. Imee Marcos hopes to provide Ilocano students  more convenient and a cheaper way to pursue their education.

The Sirib buses and jeepneys, bearing logos of Sirib, provincial government and MINC, operate Mondays to Fridays and require only passengers to wear their student IDs to be able to avail of the discount.

Routes include Bacarra-Pasuquin-Burgos in the north, San Nicolas-Batac and Suba-Paoay in the south, and Sarrat-Dingras-Marcos-Banna- Nueva Era in the east. Signages are put in designated bus stops in each municipality.

The Laoag City Centennial Arena parking lot will serve as the terminal for the shuttle services as they wait for students returning to their towns in the afternoon.

Rolyn Aguinaldo of Solsona town said “the service is a big help because my original expenses from Solsona to Batac City costs 60 pesos. With the 50% discount, I only pay 30 pesos.”

“The 50% discount can help us save more. I can use the money to pay for miscellaneous fees at school,” Dick Edward Calma of Bacarra town, said.

Meanwhile, Vanessa Mae Palalay of Burgos town thanked Gov. Marcos “for providing cheap transportation to us students. Aside from reducing our fares, riding the Sirib bus will help us to be more sociable and allow us to meet new friends.”