President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. shared that his 1 June train ride on MRT-3 was not his first—and certainly won’t be the last—as he and his family often take the train to avoid Metro Manila’s notorious traffic.

“It wasn’t the first time I took the MRT. We often use it because of the traffic — it’s just faster,” Marcos said in the latest episode of the BBM Podcast, aired Friday. “My family, my friends — we all take it. Driving to Cubao can take up to two hours.”

He also recalled conversations with fellow commuters who opened up about the daily struggle with overcrowding—something he said he personally experienced.

“I’ve felt it myself. Sometimes when you ride the MRT, once you’re inside, you can’t even move your arm — it’s that packed,” he said. “I spoke with passengers and they told me, ‘Sir, it’s like this every day.’”

Marcos recently led the launch of the Family Pass 1+3 Program in celebration of Family Day, designed to promote shared commuting and honor Filipino families.

Under the program, groups of four — families or friends — can ride MRT-3, LRT-1, and LRT-2 every Sunday while paying for only one fare. The promo began on 1 June.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation has increased the student fare discount from 20 percent to 50 percent on the same train lines, effective Friday, 20 June