DOTr orders top officials to ride public transport weekly
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has issued a memorandum requiring senior road and rail officials to commute via public transport at least once a week, starting September 17. The move is intended to give officials first-hand experience of the challenges commuters face and to inform project planning and policy decisions.
Who is covered and how it will work
The directive covers undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, directors, and agency heads within the road and rail sectors — including officials from the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), Philippine National Railways (PNR), and Metro Rail Transit Line 3. Affected officials must use public modes such as jeepneys, buses, the EDSA Busway, MRT, LRT-1, or LRT-2 for at least one commute per week.
Reporting and accountability
Officials required to commute must submit weekly accomplishment reports that include observations, recommendations, and proof of compliance (for example, photos or tickets). These reports will be consolidated and discussed in DOTr executive committee meetings to ensure lessons learned on the ground inform policy and operations.
Why the DOTr says it’s doing this
Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the exercise aims to let DOTr officials "see and feel firsthand" the difficulties faced by the riding public, helping them plan more effective, commuter-focused projects and programs. The memorandum will be in effect “until further notice.”
Acting secretary leads by example
Lopez himself was reported to have taken public transport earlier in the week during morning rush hour to demonstrate the initiative and to kick off the directive.
What commuters and observers say
Reactions among commuters and transport watchers are mixed: some welcomed the initiative as a step toward more empathetic planning, while others said the directive should be paired with faster, measurable improvements to services and enforcement of existing rules.
