Willie Revillame to give free rides with EDSA minibuses

As fuel prices continue to increase and put pressure on commuters, some Filipinos are finding ways to help ease the burden. One such man is TV host and former actor Willie ‘Kuya Wil’ Revillame who decided to provide free rides and make commuting easier for the public.

Last Tuesday, March 24, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national energy emergency to ease the impact of rising fuel prices on transportation, food, and electricity.

The next day on his noontime show, Revillame, 65,  revealed that he and his friends pooled money to buy minibuses to offer free rides to Filipino commuters. He is personally overseeing their preparation as the country faces a fuel crisis triggered by continued tensions in the Middle East.

“Abangan niyo po… Pinapa-condition lang namin. Kapag nakita niyo po Wilyonaryo, libreng sakay. Hopefully by next week magagamit na,” he said.

Revillame emphasized that no photos would be placed on the vehicles to avoid giving the impression of a hidden agenda. He also mentioned that they are coordinating with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to allow the minibuses on the EDSA Bus Lane.

Revillame constantly gives updates by announcing the progress on his show every day. “Chineck ko po iyong mga minibuses. Dinalaw ko at tiningnan iyong pagre-repair nila at chineck kung malinis.”

His latest update on social media included photos and videos of him driving and conducting a road test. Yesterday, a photo revealed a blue minibus featuring a large logo of the show and the words ‘libreng sakay’ written on its side.

The Facebook post read: “BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! ANG SABI NG...BUS! Pinapaganda at ginagawang mas komportable lamang ang ating mga ride!”

Meanwhile, in the video, Revillame spoke before driving along the planned bus route. “Ito ang first day ng ating road test. Nandito kami sa Wil Tower and then pupunta muna kami ng Caloocan paikot. Iro-road test muna namin ito kasi kailangan natin malaman kung nasa kondisyon ito. Gusto ko kasi mafeel kung ano iyong mararamdaman ng mga drivers. And then after that, itu-turnover na po ito sa LTFRB, kay Chairman Vigor,” he said.

Revillame then drove the minibus. While on the road, the host interacted with people on the streets and gave away free jackets from his show. He also made several stops to give people a chance to take photos with him.

He concluded the video by thanking the MMDA and LTFRB chairmen respectively. “Nakausap ko si Chairman Artes. Thank you so much, Chairman. Saka si Chairman Vigor, marami pong salamat sa suporta ninyo,” 

As of now, six air-conditioned minibuses are being prepared, each with a capacity of 23 passengers, and there are plans to eventually operate ten.

The project is a collaboration between Revillame and broadcast journalists  Anthony “Ka Tunying” Jr. Taberna and Reynante Langit Jr. It was inspired by an idea they discussed at a party.

The minibuses will serve routes which include Monumento in Caloocan, North EDSA, SM Megamall and Starmall EDSA-Shaw, and SM Mall of Asia.