Nearly 3M commuters benefit from DOTr’s 12-day free ride program

A total of 2,841,788 passengers benefited from the Department of Transportation's Libreng Sakay program, which ran from 14 to 25 December 2025, across major rail lines LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3.

Dubbed the “12 Days of Christmas,” the program offered free rides to different sectors on designated days, including senior citizens, students, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with their families, teachers and health workers, persons with disabilities (PWDs), government employees, women passengers, families, members of the LGBTQIA+ community and solo parents, private-sector employees and kasambahays, uniformed personnel, veterans and their families, and a final “Free for All” day.

The initiative was backed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., aimed at easing commuting expenses during the holiday season.

Among the rail lines, MRT-3 recorded the highest ridership with 1,183,950 passengers, followed by LRT-1 with 1,091,951 riders, and LRT-2 with 565,887 commuters.

The program peaked on Christmas Day, 25 December, with a combined total of 835,777 passengers across the three rail lines.

Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the strong turnout underscored the importance of accessible public transportation, particularly during the holidays, as families traveled to celebrate Christmas together.