By Brian Campued
Nearly 4.3 million passengers reportedly benefited from free train rides offered by Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), Light Rail Transit Lines 1 (LRT-1) and 2 (LRT-2) from April 30 to May 3 following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s “Libreng Sakay” initiative.
According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the MRT-3 logged a total of 1,618,541 passengers from the four-day program—with a single day record of 481,156 on April 30, the highest ridership since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
DOTr Sec. Vince Dizon underscored that the President’s “All Day Free Ride For All” program was meant to honor Filipino workers’ sacrifices and to ease the burden of daily commuters as part of Labor Day celebrations.
“Malaking tulong ang libreng sakay sa ating mga manggagawa at commuters. Kaya sa utos ni Pangulong Marcos, taon-taon na natin itong gagawin tuwing Labor Day bilang pagkilala sa kontribusyon ng mga mangagagawa sa bansa,” Dizon said.
Operator and maintenance provider Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), likewise, announced that the LRT-2 ferried a total of 787,284 passengers during the “Libreng Sakay” program; also recorded a post-pandemic high of 234,888 on May 2.
LRTA Administrator Hernando Cabrera said “Ang libreng sakay na ito ay isang maliit na paraan upang magpasalamat sa malalaking kontribusyon ng bawat manggagawang Pilipino. Ipinapakita rin ng ating mga datos na ang simpleng inisyatibong ito ay lubos na pinahahalagahan ng mga pasahero,”.
Further, the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), which operates and provides maintenance for LRT-1, said an average of 460,000 passengers daily from April 30 to May 3.
“This initiative is a testament to the collaboration between the private and the public sectors. Our strong partnership with the government is fundamental to our commitment to enhancing the commuting experience and providing greater convenience to the Filipino people,” LRMC President and chief executive officer Enrico Benipayo said.
—jpv
