Here are the public transport you can ride for free this year
If you plan to head out this coming weekend with your family or friends and you are on a tight budget, this list of free rides would be a big help for you.
On June 22, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that commuters can still enjoy free rides on 28 routes around Metro Manila till June 30. The announcement comes shortly after the third phase of DOTr's Service Contracting Program, which covered 118 routes, ended on June 15.
The ongoing program includes routes such as Boni to Kalentong, Cubao to Buendia, Market Market to Pasig, and Navotas to Divisoria, among others. Here is the list of transportation commuters can still ride for free until the end of the month or beyond.
EDSA Bus Carousel
In the same announcement on Facebook, DOTr said that the EDSA Bus Carousel would still continue giving free rides to commuters until July 31. There are currently 550 buses operating on EDSA Carousel 24 hours a day. While EDSA Bus Carousel operates 24/7, the free rides only apply during certain hours, from 4 a.m to 11 p.m.
Here are the current routes of EDSA Bus Carousel:
UPDATE: DOTr announced on July 1 that it is extending the free EDSA Carousel bus rides until the end of the year as the agency still has budget to support the program.
The announcement came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the memo presented by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez at Malacañang on the same day.
MRT-3
Commuters may still ride the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 for free until the end of June, according to DOTr. The free rides, which commuters can avail from 4:40 a.m. to 10 p.m., were supposed to end last month, but the agency extended it to “continue serving more passengers affected by rising fuel prices and inflation.”
MMDA Ferry Ride
Did you know that MMDA offers free rides along Pasig River? This offer from the MMDA is a viable alternative if you're heading to Makati. Just bring a valid I.D to claim your free ticket. These are the lists of stations of MMDA Pasig River Ferry Service:
Pasig City
- Pinagbuhatan, Beside Coast Gyard Station at C6 Bridge
- Kalawaan located at R. Castillo St., Brgy. Kalawaan, Pasig
- San Joaquin, near Sumilan and Bambang Bridge
- Maybunga, beeside Maybunga Barangay Hall
Makati
- Guadalupe, near MRT Guadalupe Station
- Valenzuela, near LTO Makati District Office
Mandaluyong
- Hulo, near the Parish of Our Lady of the Abandoned
Manila
- Lambingan, in front of Thomas Earnshaw Elementary School
- Sta. Ana, near Sta. Ana Public Market
- PUP, near Philippine Coast Guard Station
- Quinta, back of Bureau of Investigation in Intramuros
- Lawton, near Quezon Bridge and Manila Post Office
- Escolta, near Jones Bridge
MMDA said that the ferry schedules may vary per station. Make sure to visit their website to get the latest updates.
Libreng Sakay for Students Program
Apart from the extension of the free EDSA Carousel bus ride, DOTr announced on July 1 that it is launching a free ride program for students from August 22 to November 4 this year. The program, titled Libreng Sakay for Students, will cover the MRT-3, LRT-2, and Philippine National Railways (PNR).
"Considering the welfare of students, however, whose learning outcomes have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, the undersigned recommends implementing a Libreng Sakay for Students Program for the First Quarter of School Year 2022-2023, or from 22 August 2022 to 04 November 2022. The Libreng Sakay for students will be implemented in MRT-3, LRT-2, and PNR," Bautista said in the memorandum signed by Marcos.