THE Office of the Vice President (OVP) opened on Monday, August Q, a satellite office in bacolod — the seventh remote office established to bring social services from the OVP closer to the people.

It is located at Moser building, Lacson St. Extension, Golden Fields Complex in bacolod City.

According to OVP spokesman Atty. Reynold Munsayac, the OVP satellite office in Bacolod will be headed by Dr. Cris Sorongon as satellite office manager.

Munsayac said that this OVP satellite office was able to cater to around 200 clients on its first day of operations.

The OVP also reported that it has released PQQ.48 million for medical and burial assistance of the roughly P36.5 million that it has processed as of August 3 in the OVP-National Capital Region and its satellite offices.

Other satellite offices of the OVP are located in Dagupan City, Cebu City, Tacloban City, Zamboanga City, Davao City, and Tandag City in Surigao del Sur.

Meanwhile, the OVP also deployed on Wednesday five buses in major cities in the country to offer free rides during peak hours to Filipinos relying on public transportation, aiming to support the national government’s free ride program and translate to savings for those who use public transportation services for their daily commute.

Two of the buses lent to Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio and her office by a private partner were deployed in Metro Manila along the EDSA bus way, while one bus each was deployed in Bacolod, Cebu and Davao City.

“The OVP hopes to expand this program through the help of more private sector partners and volunteers,” Munsayac said.

Additional private sector collaboration could help establish more routes, such as in the Commonwealth area in Quezon City. He added that the OVP could shoulder fuel, maintenance and repairs of buses that will be lent to them, and even the salaries of the bus drivers and conductors.