Three major rail lines in Metro Manila—Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), LRT-2, and Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3)—successfully served a combined total of 2,841,788 passengers under the “12 Days of Christmas – Libreng Sakay” (Free Rides) program from Dec. 14 to 25.
Implemented across the three rail systems, the initiative followed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ease the financial burden on commuters during the Yuletide season by providing free rail transport to various sectors for 12 consecutive days.
Among the rail lines, MRT-3 recorded the highest ridership with 1,183,950 commuters, followed closely by LRT-1, which served 1,091,951 passengers. LRT-2 accommodated 565,887 riders throughout the program’s duration, underscoring strong demand across the entire rail network.
Christmas Day emerged as the peak of the program, with 835,777 passengers availing of free rides across all three rail lines. The second-highest turnout was logged on Dec. 18, when combined Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and male passengers accounted for 550,138 riders system-wide.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the strong public response highlights the government’s commitment to making public transportation more inclusive, convenient, safe, and accessible to all Filipinos.
"This overwhelming response demonstrates the importance of accessible public transportation in the lives of Filipino families, especially during the Christmas season,” Lopez said in a news release.
“We are honored to serve almost 3 million commuters through this program, providing them with safe, reliable, and free transportation as they celebrate the holidays with their loved ones,” he added.
The program designated specific days for various beneficiary groups, including Senior Citizens, Students, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) with their families, Teachers and Health Workers, PWDs and Male Passengers, Government Employees, Female Passengers, Families, the LGBTQIA+ community and Solo Parents, Private Sector Employees and Kasambahays, Uniformed Personnel Veterans and their families, and concluded with a final “Free for All” day—reinforcing the administration’s push for inclusive and people-centered public transport initiatives.
