The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced on Friday afternoon, July 1, that free EDSA Carousel bus rides will be extended until December 2022, after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the agency’s recommendation.
The DOTR said its funds under the General Appropriations Act of 2022 can still accommodate Libreng Sakay (free rides) under the Service Contracting Program.
Free rides will also be free modern jeepney rides such as the Lagro-Quezon Memorial Circle route until the end of July. This is in response to passengers’ complaints following the cancellation of Montalban-Quezon Ave. route free bus ride.
Marcos also approved a memorandum submitted by the DOTr to provide students free MRT-3, LRT-2, and Philippine National Railways rides when in-person classes resume in August.
The extension of free rides implementation is in bid to ease commuters’ burden amid rising fare hikes due to successive oil price hikes.
Recently, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) raised the minimum fare to P11 for traditional jeepneys nationwide and to P13 for modern jeepneys. –Report from Karen Villanda–ag
