Free hop on/hop off tours for Manila residents

MANILA, Philippines — Residents of Manila can enjoy free tours with the Philippines Hop-on/Hop-off bus tour program.

“Just present an (identification card) showing residence in Manila, and get a free ride on the Philippines Hop-on/Hop-off!” said the Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Manila in its Facebook post on July 8.

It also called on residents to download the Philippines Hop-on/Hop-off mobile application and create an account there.

By using the app, tourists availing of the Philippines Hop-on/Hop-off bus tours can visit the following attractions in Manila from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Robinsons Place Manila; Rajah Sulayman Fountain; Rizal Park; National Museum; Malacañang heritage area; Manila City Hall; Escolta or Jones Bridge; Binondo and Intramuros.

The promo started on July 7 and would last until July 14 or until further notice, the city government said.

Scheduled for a formal rollout soon, tourists can buy passes of the Philippines Hop-on/Hop-off bus tours for around P1,000 to P2,500 depending on the length of their tour.

During the launch on July 6, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan said the city government would include other potential tourist destinations in the city, which she called “tourism hubs,” in the bus tours.

The Department of Tourism, which brought the bus tours to Manila, has identified the country’s capital as a “cultural hub.”

First launched in Makati City, which was identified as the “financial hub,” the agency would also roll out similar bus tours in other cities in Metro Manila.