The Department of Transportation (DOTr) MRT-3 announced that its Free Ride program for passengers with a Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) National ID has provided free rides to 124,245 beneficiaries during August.
In a statement, MRT-3 management confirmed the program, which offered free rides on all Wednesdays in August, was implemented in response to a request from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and aligns with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive to promote the use of the National ID.
The initiative saw consistent growth throughout the month, with the total number of beneficiaries for each Wednesday recorded as follows:
August 6: 25,173 passengers (from 9:00 am to 11:00 am and 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm)
August 13: 31,220 passengers
August 20: 33,226 passengers
August 27: 36,626 passengers
The MRT-3 also reported a record-breaking day on August 20, when the total number of passengers reached 500,703, the highest recorded daily ridership for the line.
Passengers were able to avail of the free ride by simply presenting their National ID, which was accepted in any format, including the physical card, a printed paper copy, or a digital version.
The DOTr and MRT-3 continue to explore new ways to improve public transportation services and encourage the use of the National ID.
