Just last July, the Philippines finally launched the Hop-On, Hop-Off (HOHO) bus route in the country’s capital, Manila’s Cultural Hub tours. Dubbed as the country’s first ever hop-on, hop-off bus tour program, the Manila Cultural Hub links with Makati’s Business Hub.
This flagship tourism program aims to elevate the tourism offerings of the country by providing convenience and digitalization. The Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tours allow tourists to book through an app, curate their experiences, and travel at their own convenience.
If you ask us at KUBO, we think it’s about time. There’s so much to see, do, and experience in Metro Manila, and these bus routes make snaking through the cities’ streets more manageable.
The HOHO experience
“With the launch of the Philippine Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tours here in the City of Manila, we aim to give opportunities to reintroduce Manila to our fellow Filipinos and to introduce foreign tourists to this beautiful gem of a city, to expose them to our heritage, our culture, the arts, and most importantly, the story of the City of Manila,” said Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco. They’re expecting these bus tours to be a hassle-free, seamless, contactless, and convenient option that will play a pivotal role in improving the tourism experience in Manila.
“This landmark project addresses the Department’s three-pronged agenda that pursues ‘connectivity, convenience and e-quality’…and is geared to position the NCR as a destination that will provide tourists with a world-class tour program featuring different sites and attractions in Metro Manila,” said Department of Tourism-National Capital Region (DOT-NCR) Director Sharlene Z. Batin.
The Philippines’ HOHO features a dedicated website with all essential information, a reloadable EMV-capable card, and to complete the tourist experience, a mobile app for booking tours, making cashless payments, GPS networked-bus arrival monitoring and video guides, as well as information on hotels, food, and tourism merchants.
The identified bus routes
In 2022, NCR recorded a total of 5.3 million overnight tourists in NCR, with Manila ranking fourth at 710,275 arrivals, while Makati City ranks one slot higher with 969,927 arrivals, tailing behind Pasay and Parañaque, which took the first and second spots, respectively.
Because of those tourism arrivals, relevant bus routes were identified. The initial routes of the travel bus were classified according to the tourism product offerings that are unique to the identity of the cities. While Manila has been categorized as a “cultural hub” for its collection of historic sites, the city of Makati is dubbed as the “business hub” for being home to many of the country’s commercial centers.
Eventually, the DOT is expecting to run the following HOHO routes as well: Taguig City (Fort Bonifacio) is classified as the “lifestyle hub”; Quezon City (Katipunan) as the “mind hub,” with all its schools and universities; Pasig City (Ortigas) as the “heart hub”; and Pasay/Parañaque as the “entertainment hub,” with its many hotels and entertainment establishments.
The HOHO Travel By the Hubs bus tours are available Wednesdays to Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with five bus trips that will approximately run for 1.5 hours per single tour.
The Manila route
According to DOT-NCR Director Batin, the Manila Cultural Hub will have nine stops: Robinsons Manila, Raja Sulayman, Rizal Park-Luneta, National Museum, Malacañang Heritage Tours, Manila City Hall, Escolta, Binondo, and Intramuros. With the launch of the Cultural Hub, tourists can now conveniently and leisurely stroll Manila’s historic and vibrant culture-scape, one bus stop at a time.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna says that “this will truly maximize any visit in exploring our attractions and experience a Manila that you’ll keep coming back to. The Department of Tourism and the City of Manila curated the attractions to be visited and made sure that this initial run will truly reflect the character of our city. As the HOHO progresses, we will make sure to incorporate other parts of our eight tourism hubs, which is the core of our tourism development plan.”
Interested travelers can choose from curated and do-it-yourself itineraries, with the option for private and guided tours. Introductory price for the HOHO Manila Cultural Hub tour starts at PHP1,000 per person.
The Makati Route
On the other hand, Makati Mayor Abby Binay says that the “business” hub tour will have eight stops: Glorietta 2, Washington SyCip Park, RCBC Plaza, Circuit Makati, Century City, Museo ng Makati, Rockwell Center, and Ayala Triangle.
“Makati boasts a rich tapestry of history, art, and natural beauty that deserves to be celebrated. With the launch of the HOHO bus tour, we aim to bring this exceptional experience to the forefront, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the city’s unique heritage,” added Binay.
DOT set the cost of a one-day pass at P990, providing travelers with unlimited access to the HOHO bus stops. Residents and city hall employees with Makatizen cards may avail of a 40 percent discount when they take the HOHO Makati buses.
*Information from the Department of Tourism, Philippine Information Agency, City of Manila, and City of Makati. For more updates, visit the Philippines Hop-On Hop-Off Facebook page.
