Philippine Rabbit
{{short description|Bus company in the Philippines}}
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{{Cleanup rewrite|date=February 2025}}
{{Notability|date=February 2025}}
{{Original research|date=February 2025}}
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{{Infobox bus company
| name = Philippine Rabbit
| logo = PHILIPPINE RABBIT LOGO-1.png
| logo_size =
| logo_alt =Philippine Rabbit official logo
| image = PRBL 1101.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| alt =
| image_caption =
| parent =
| company_slogan = "Our Reliability Rolls On"
| founded = {{Start date and age|1946|08|28}}
| commenced =
| ceased =
| defunct =
| headquarters = McArthur Highway, Sto. Cristo, Tarlac City, Tarlac
| locale = Luzon
| service_area = {{hlist|Metro Manila|Central Luzon|Pangasinan|Baguio}}
| service_type = Provincial Operation
| alliance =
| routes =
| stops =
| destinations =
| hubs = {{hlist|Avenida|Tarlac}}
| stations =
| lounge =
| depots =
| fleet = 200+
| ridership =
| annual_ridership =
| fuel_type =
| operator = Philippine Rabbit Bus Lines, Inc.
| ceo =
| leader_type =
| leader =
| website =
| map =
| map_name =
| map_state =
}}
Philippine Rabbit Bus Lines, Inc. (PRBL) is a provincial bus company in the Philippines. It was founded in 1946 and is one of the oldest bus companies in the country.{{cite news |last1=Clemente |first1=Jo |date=2 November 2002 |title=Union dispute, financial distress hound bus firm |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xq41AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA16 |access-date=12 February 2022}} The company's area of coverage extends from Metro Manila to Baguio and northern provinces of Pampanga and Tarlac. Its main terminal in Metro Manila is along Avenida in Santa Cruz, Manila.
Philippine Rabbit was once known for their red, rivet-studded buses powered by Isuzu, with the illuminated sign at the front, which once became a staple of roads in Northern Luzon. They were eventually supplanted by more modern Nissan Diesel units.
History
Philippine Rabbit was founded on August 28, 1946 by brothers-in-law, Florencio P. Buan and Ricardo L. Paras. It was then named Philippine Rabbit Bus Company, Ltd. They started with two salvaged US Army weapon carriers which they bought in a junk shop in Mabalacat, Pampanga. Their maiden trip was from Divisoria, Manila with a stopover in San Fernando, Pampanga. On its one year of operation, the company was operating ten US Army weapon carriers converted to passenger trucks. In 1952, they acquired front-engined International Harvester buses which operated from Manila to Moncada, Camiling, Victoria, La Paz, Concepcion and Tarlac City. The company was incorporated on August 28, 1957 with the business name Philippine Rabbit Bus Lines, Incorporated.
On March 25, 1963, the PRBL incorporators organized the Bupar Motors Corporation as the exclusive distributor of Mitsubishi Fuso engines and spare parts in the country. The corporation also included a bus body building plant (which built their famous red, rivet-studded buses) and a tire recapping facility. In 1977 PRBL opened its Rabbitours Division in its Caloocan Terminal on 2nd Avenue to handle chartered trips for domestic tours. With the tax incentives the government gives to Tourism oriented companies, PRBL started acquiring air-conditioned buses. In the start of the 1980s, the Company started modernizing its bus fleet with air-conditioned buses servicing the routes to Baguio, Balanga, Bataan, Laoag, Ilocos Norte, and Tarlac.
In January 1992, PRBL started its bus fleet rehabilitation. They announced the acquisition of 150 brand new air conditioned buses for its 3-year modernization program to meet the demands for safe and convenient travel on air conditioned buses. Twenty Mitsubishi De Luxe (2001 series) were commissioned in 1992; another thirty Nissan Diesel (Aero Bus Series) in 1993; Fifty Nissan Diesel (Flexi Series) in 1994, and another fifty Nissan Diesel (Euro Bus Series 3015) in 1995.
In 1998, the Philippine Rabbit became one of the sponsors of the Metropolitan Basketball Association in partnership with the Philippine media conglomerate and broadcasting company ABS-CBN Corporation. The company renewed its partnership with ABS-CBN in February 2000.{{cite news |title=ABS-CBN Makes Rabbit MBA's Bus Partner Again |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=14c1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA32 |access-date=26 February 2022 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=6 February 2000 |language=en}}
=Labor dispute and losses=
In 2002, the company's workers conducted a 50 day strike. By November 2002, the company was forced to close its offices due to the strike.{{cite news |last1=Clemente |first1=Jo |title=Bus Owners Suspend Operations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yK41AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA17 |access-date=26 February 2022 |date=5 November 2002}} The strike ended on 19 December 2002 after the company's workers and management came to an agreement.{{cite news |last1=Dizon |first1=Ronaldo |last2=Clemente |first2=Jo |title=Bus firm strike over as management, union enter into pact |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DVk1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA14 |access-date=12 February 2022 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=21 December 2002}}
On April 5, 2004, the company's employees went on strike and demanded for the prompt payment of salaries and benefits, their 13th Month Pay, Retirement benefits, and service incentive pays, including the immediate updating of employees' SSS premium contributions and collected SSS Salary loan deductions. They also cite the non-implementation of agreement between the workers and the Philippine Rabbit dated December 2002.{{cite news |last1=Arador |first1=Russel |last2=Dizon |first2=Ronaldo |title=Bus Firm Workers Go On Strike, Stranding Thousands |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H1o1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA6 |access-date=26 February 2022 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=7 April 2004 |language=en}} On April 7, 2004, DOLE Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas issued a Return-to-Work Order with PRBL Management promising to settle its obligations to the employees. The Company defaulted.
Fleet
= Current =
Guilin Daewoo
- Guilin Daewoo GDW6119H2
- Higer KLQ6109AE3 "V90"
- Higer KLQ6119E3 "V91"
Santarosa Motor Works
- Santarosa Motor Works Jetliner bus body
- Daewoo BV115
Shanghai Shenlong Bus Co., Ltd.
- Sunlong SLK6112
- Sunlong SLK6116
Zhengzhou Yutong Group Co., Ltd.
- Yutong ZK6117H "C11"
= Former =
Daewoo Motor Company (Daewoo Bus)
- Daewoo BH115E Royal Economy
- Daewoo BH116 Royal Luxury
- Daewoo BH117 Royal Cruistar
- Del Monte Motor Works Aero Xtreme bus body
- Nissan Diesel RB31S
- Del Monte Motor Works Adamant bus body
- Nissan Diesel RB31S
- Del Monte Motor Works DM09 bus body
- Nissan Diesel RB31S
- Hyundai Aero Space LS
- Kia Granbird KM948 SD-I Greenfield
- Kia Granbird KM949H HD Sunshine
Santarosa Motor Works
- Santarosa Motor Works Exfoh bus body
- Nissan Diesel RB46SR
- Santarosa Motor Works Flexi bus body
- Nissan Diesel RB31S
- Santarosa Motor Works SDX bus body
- Nissan Diesel RB46SX
Nissan Diesel Philippines Corporation
- Nissan Diesel Euro Trans bus body
- Nissan Diesel RB46S
- Nissan Diesel RB46SR
- Nissan Diesel JA430SAN
File:PRBL SR Daewoo BV115.jpg|Daewoo BV115 "Jetliner"
File:Philippine Rabbit Guilin Daewoo.jpg|Guillin Daewoo GDW6119H2
File:PRBL Daewoo BH115E.jpg|Daewoo BH115E "Royal Economy"
File:PRBL White Hyundai Aero Space LS.jpg|Hyundai Aero Space LS
File:PRBL 1029.jpg|Higer V90 - KLQ6109
File:PRBL Higer V91.jpg|Higer V91 - KLQ6119 (280HP)
File:PRBL 1121.jpg|Higer V91 - KLQ6119E3 (310HP)
File:PRBL Sunlong.jpg|Sunlong SLK6116
File:PRBL 1005.jpg|Sunlong SLK6112
File:PRBL Euro.jpg|Nissan Diesel Euro Trans
File:PRBL SR EXFOH.jpg|Nissan Diesel JA450SSN
Destinations
=Metro Manila=
=Provincial Destinations=
- San Fernando, Pampanga (via Malolos)
- Mabalacat, Pampanga (Dau Bus Terminal)
- Marquee Mall, Angeles City, Pampanga
- Tarlac City, Tarlac
- Camiling, Tarlac
- Baguio{{cite news |title=Bus firms resuming Baguio trips |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1372116/bus-firms-resuming-baguio-trips |access-date=12 February 2022 |work=INQUIRER.net |date=16 December 2020 |language=en}}
- Alaminos, Pangasinan (via Camiling, Tarlac)
Former Destinations
- Araneta City Bus Port, Cubao, Quezon City
- Balintawak, Quezon City
- Caloocan
- Concepcion, Tarlac
- Santa Cruz, Zambales (via Alaminos)
- Iba, Zambales
- Bolinao, Pangasinan
- Dagupan
- San Fernando, La Union
- Vigan, Ilocos Sur
- Laoag, Ilocos Norte
- Aparri, Cagayan
- Bangued, Abra
- Balanga, Bataan
- Mariveles, Bataan