President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. today announced the immediate suspension of the planned rehabilitation of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), opting instead for a more efficient and less disruptive approach to repairing the crucial thoroughfare.
This decision, aimed at minimizing public inconvenience, was made alongside the launch of the “Pamilya Pass 1+3” promotional fare, designed to encourage family travel on the country’s major rail lines.
President Marcos Jr. stated that the government will dedicate approximately one month to exploring alternative options for the EDSA rehabilitation, including the integration of new technologies. The goal is to significantly reduce the repair timeline from the original three years to an ambitious six months, demonstrating a clear commitment to alleviating traffic congestion and its impact on commuters.
“We are committed to finding a better, faster, and more sustainable way to rehabilitate EDSA,” President Marcos Jr. remarked. “The Filipino people deserve a solution that addresses the needs of our infrastructure without unduly burdening their daily lives. We will explore every available option to deliver this project with minimal disruption.”
In a move to further enhance public convenience and promote family bonding, President Marcos Jr. and the First Family led the ceremonial launch of the “Pamilya Pass 1+3” in the country’s three major rail stations, starting with the GMA-Kamuning Station of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) in Diliman, Quezon City.
The “Pamilya Pass 1+3” offers significant fare savings for families traveling together every Sunday, a day traditionally dedicated to family gatherings. Under this innovative promotion, one paying family member can bring up to three immediate family members for free. Immediate family is broadly defined to include parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, siblings, and even uncles/aunts or guardians with dependents.
To avail of the promotion, the paying family member simply purchases one single journey ticket (SJT) at the farthest fare, while their companions will be issued magnetic SJTs for presentation at the service gate. A specific fare table for the promotion will be posted every Sunday, and the pass can be utilized multiple times a day from the start to the end of operations on MRT-3.
President Marcos Jr. and the First Family personally demonstrated the ease of the program by purchasing a single journey ticket at the GMA-Kamuning Station before boarding the train and interacting with fellow MRT-3 passengers. They disembarked at North Avenue Station, underscoring the accessibility and convenience of the railway system.
The “Pamilya Pass 1+3” promo will be implemented across all major rail lines, including MRT-3, Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), and LRT-2. It will run every Sunday, commencing today, June 1, 2025, and continuing until the last Sunday of June 2028, solidifying the government’s commitment to promoting the railway system as a safe, accessible, and sustainable mode of transportation for the riding public.
