The Philippines is scaling its electric Love Bus initiative, a public transport program using battery-powered minibuses, beyond its original Metro Manila deployment. A new corridor launched service between Robinsons Galleria and Eastwood, operating free of charge daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and connecting the Ortigas business district with surrounding areas including C5, Arcovia, Bridgetowne, and Eastwood. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Global Electric Transport Philippines jointly operate the service.
The program grew out of a 2025 partnership between the Department of Social Welfare and Development and GET Philippines that combined transportation services with economic assistance to persons with disabilities. Earlier routes connected the Valenzuela Gateway Complex to the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City and the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, which serves as a major hub for regional commuters. The initiative provided livelihood assistance to PWD associations while GET supplied the vehicles, charging infrastructure, and fleet management systems.
The vehicles used are COMET electric minibuses, compact units designed for flexible urban routes rather than large-scale fixed transit. They feature 54-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, a stated 100-kilometer range, and charging capability from 20 to 90 percent in approximately 45 minutes. GET manages the supporting ecosystem, including charging stations, monitoring software, and a mobile application tracking vehicle locations and route utilization.
The program is expanding geographically, with Cebu introducing its own Love Bus fleet in 2025 and Davao launching operations using a different vehicle platform. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. referenced Davao’s initiative during his 2026 State of the Nation Address regarding national electric vehicle targets. The DSWD recently signed an agreement with the MVP Group, GET Philippines, and the Pampanga provincial government to establish transport operations in that province.
Private property developers including Robinsons Land and Megaworld are increasingly funding deployments by providing vehicles, charging infrastructure, and route access through their commercial properties. This model allows electric minibuses to operate in high-density passenger corridors without requiring developers to manage broader transit networks. As deployments scale across additional routes and cities, operational focus is shifting toward long-term reliability, maintenance, energy cost management, and fleet availability in tropical climate conditions.
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