Nearly three million commuters benefited from the Department of Transportation’s (DoTr) 12-day free ride initiative over the Christmas period, highlighting both the scale of holiday travel demand and the reliance of Filipinos on subsidized public transport.
Data from the DoTr showed that 2,841,788 passengers availed themselves of the Libreng Sakay program from 14 to 25 December 2025 across the country’s three major rail lines: LRT-1, LRT-2 and MRT-3.
Branded as the “12 Days of Christmas,” the program offered free rides on specific days to designated sectors, including senior citizens, students, overseas Filipino workers and their families, teachers and health workers, persons with disabilities, 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 day when rides were free for all commuters.
The initiative was backed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and was intended to ease commuting expenses during the peak holiday season, when transport costs typically rise amid increased travel.
Ridership figures showed uneven demand across the rail network. MRT-3 posted the highest number of beneficiaries at 1,183,950 passengers, followed by LRT-1 with 1,091,951 riders, and LRT-2 with 565,887 commuters.
The highest single-day turnout was recorded on 25 December, when a combined 835,777 passengers used the three rail lines, underscoring the surge in mobility on Christmas Day as families traveled to celebrations and gatherings.