Hyundai, Petron join DOTr 'Libreng Sakay' for healthcare workers

MANILA: Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), official Philippine distributor of the flagship Korean auto brand in the country, partnered with Petron Corporation, the largest oil company in the Philippines, to reinforce the "Libreng Sakay" program of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

Libreng Sakay guarantees continuous mobility for frontliners and healthcare workers (HCWs), with its 20 identified routes and selected pick-up and drop-off points.

Last May, HARI, under the Ligtas Biyahe vehicle project, officially handed over three pandemic-ready vehicles to cater to the DOTr program.

Hyundai manufactured and developed this exclusive COVID-19 lineup in accordance with its bestselling models, the Modern Jeepney HD505 Class 2, HD36 Shuttle, and the H-100 Shuttle.

The abovementioned units have been confirmed as highly compliant with the protocols of DOTr for the transport industry under the community quarantine (ECQ/GCQ) regulations.

The vehicles have plastic dividers, specific features for disinfection, single or distanced seating, and contactless payment systems.

Currently, the Hyundai shuttles have ferried more than 3,000 medical frontliners to guarantee continuous patient care in Metro Manila.

HARI CEO and President Maria Fe Perez-Agudo remarked, “With Petron as our partner, expect our Ligtas Biyahe vehicles to be at optimal service for our frontliners as we move toward a better normal. This cements our commitment to provide the riding public vehicles that are safe and convenient in these challenging times.”

Petron CEO and President Ramon S. Ang said, “We are pleased to join Hyundai in its Ligtas Biyahe program as its official fuel partner, as we look to further our mobility aid efforts by offering free fuel to the DOTr and MMDA, giving fuel discounts to frontliners, and making essential food items available at our service stations together with our parent company, San Miguel Corporation.”

As of March 2020, Petron has been aggressively supporting the curbing of COVID-19 transmission in the country.

The Petron Foundation the company concentrates on providing aid to nurses, doctors, and other hospital staff through the donation of complete PPE sets to numerous COVID-19 referral hospitals in the metro.

The foundation has also turned over pre-loaded Petron Value Cards (PVCs) made possible by funds accumulated from its donation drive.

Petron Foundation also spearheaded numerous COVID-19 initiatives targeted on assisting fenceline communities and scholars.

Agudo explained that since HARI started the commercial vehicle business in 2016, the company has actively supported PUV modernization. She added that after a few weeks since it was conceptualized, they were able to produce vehicles that enable thousands of Filipinos to go to their designated workplaces safely during these challenging times.

The H-100 Class 1 Modern Jeepney of Hyundai as well as the HD50S Class 2 Modern Jeepney were able to obtain their Certificates of Compliance (COC) from the DOTr in late 2019.

For the HD50S Class 3 Modern Jeepney, which was launched in January this year, it is set to undergo a complete evaluation from the DOTr.

Photos from Hyundai

Also read: DOTr, Grab mulls shuttle service for APORS, frontliners