(GMA News) Only P1 billion of the P5.5 billion budget for public utility drivers and operators displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic have been distributed, the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said Thursday.

The funds are provided under the P165-billion Bayanihan 2 law, whose validity will expire on June 30.

LTFRB Chairperson Martin Delgra III said that the budget not only funds the compensation for displaced drivers but also the government’s service contracting program, which provides free rides to the public via the EDSA Bus Carousel.

“The principal beneficiaries of this are drivers and operators of the public transport under the service contracting program, but the passengers also benefit from this because of the free ride. Yesterday, we already distributed P1 billion under this program and distribution is still ongoing,” Delgra said during the Laging Handa briefing.

Delgra said that the free rides through the EDSA Bus Carousel will continue even with the increasing ridership, as viral photos and videos show passengers crowding the Carousel stations during rush hour.

Delgra said the number of EDSA Bus Carousel passengers went from 41,000 per day in March to as much as 182,000 per day as of last week.

“Bayanihan 2 law funding [for this EDSA Bus Carousel service contracting project] will end June 30. Congress can extend it until December 31, but whatever happens, there is P3 billion under the General Appropriations Act [for this year] for the service contracting program so the free rides in EDSA Bus Carousel will continue,“ Delgra said.

However, he added that there is a need to deploy more buses to prevent crowding of passengers.

While the LTFRB has issued special permits for 428 bus units for the EDSA Carousel, Delgra said there are fewer than 400 buses plying the road on a daily basis.

“We have to address that [crowding]. We need to deploy more units, and we are coordinating with the two consortiums so that additional 15 to 20 units of buses can be deployed,” Delgra said.