More bus firms resume Manila-North Luzon trips

By John Michael Mugas 

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte––More bus trips from Northern Luzon provinces to Metro Manila and vice versa have reopened as quarantine restrictions were eased under the most lenient Covid-19 alert level in these areas.
    Partas, one of the leading bus companies in Ilocos, announced on April 3 that it had increased its point-to-point trips from Cubao to Abra and vice versa, Laoag to Cubao and vice versa, and Cubao to Laoag via Vigan and Cubao to Vigan.
    The trips are scheduled daily, according to the bus company.
    Other bus companies, such as Florida bus lines, maintain a daily trip schedule covering Manila to Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, and Isabela provinces, and vice versa.
    Another provincial bus line, Viron Transit, has announced that it would resume its operations beginning April 8, also on a point-to-point scheme.
    “Due to government regulations, we are not allowed to pick up passengers along the road. We will employ a terminal-to-terminal system,” the bus line said in a social media post.
    The bus company has stations in Sampaloc in Manila, Cubao in Quezon City, Pozorrubio and Tayug in Pangasinan, San Fernando in La Union, Bangued in Abra, Vigan and Narvacan in Ilocos Sur and Laoag in Ilocos Norte.
    Like other bus lines, which have resumed their operations, passengers need to present proof of their Covid-19 vaccination, valid identification, and strictly adhere to standard health protocol.
    Meanwhile, Victory Liner has resumed its Baguio City-Manila operations.
    While in Baguio, one can now travel to the tourist town of Sagada in Mountain Province by taking ride in a GL Trans bus.
    To reach Bontoc, Mountain Province, one can also ride the Rising Sun bus which parks at the slaughter area in Baguio City.
Bontoc is an hour’s ride to Sagada.