(Eagle News) – Starting July 1, students can ride the Metro Rail Transit 3, the Light Rail Transit-2 and the Philippine National Railways for free, according to the Department of Transportation.
During the fourth “Transport Talks” held on Thursday a the DOTr conference room in Clark, Pampanga, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said students from all levels can enjoy the free rides from Monday to Friday at select hours in the morning and afternoon.
Terminal fee in airports and seaports owned and managed by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) are also waived for students.
The students – from elementary to college level – would just have to present their school identification card to avail of free rides until such time that they are issued free ride IDs
Tugade said the directive was to comply with President Rodrigo Duterte’s goal to give comfortable lives to Filipinos, and to show that the department is concerned with the welfare of Filipino commuters.
“Layon nitong hikayatin ang pagpasok ng maaga ng mga estudyante at baguhin ang commuter culture bilang parte ng mandato ng administrasyon sa maginhawang buhay para sa mga pasahero (It aims to encourage the students to go to school early and change the commuter culture as part of the mandate of the administration to provide comfortable lives to the passengers),” Tugade said.
The LRT-2 will implement the free rides for students from 4:30 to 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., while the MRT-3 will offer this for students from 5 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For ride at the PNR, students can avail of free rides from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Students in elementary, high school and college levels and those taking up vocational and technical courses are covered by the directive.
This privilege, however, cannot be availed by students taking up masteral courses.
