People residing and/or working that use MRT EDSA can get an MRT free ride for over a month starting from March 30 to April 30, 2022, as announced by President Rodrigo Duterte during the inauguration of the newly rehabilitated MRT-3 last March 22, 2022. MRT-3 rehabilitation was made successful through the financing of the government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). During the inauguration of the said MRT, Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko of the Embassy of Japan mentioned that MRT-3 could run twice as fast without any untoward incident. All MRT-3 facilities and equipment were renovated and improved, including maintenance of all elevators and escalators, replacements of worn-out tracks, upgrading of signaling systems, and overhaul of the Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) or in layman’s terms, trains. The said rehabilitation increased MRT-3’s operating speed from the previous 25kph to 60kph with 22 fully functioning trains. From just 10-15 trains to 22 trains operating daily, MRT-3 is expected to transport around 300,000-600,000 passengers daily.
How to ride the MRT?
On a normal day without the free MRT ride, of course, passengers will have to pay to avail of the single journey ticket or for daily/frequent users, Beep cards to ride the MRT. These tickets can be purchased from the teller’s booth or can also be bought on automated vending machines at the station. A Single Journey Ticket is a one-time use ticket that is only valid within the day of purchase. This ranges from Php13.00 to Php28.00 depending on your starting and end destination. A Beep card on the other hand is a reloadable card that passengers can use for fare payments in Manila’s different railways, including MRT, LRT-1, and LRT-2. Beep cards can also be used to pay for toll fees and purchases in selected retail establishments. Another card being offered is the Stored Value Ticket. It costs Php100.00 and can be used multiple times and is valid for 3 months. Discounted tickets and Beep Concessionary Cards are also available for students, senior citizens, and persons with disability (PWDs).
How will the free ride work?
MRT free ride will run from March 28 until April 30. It will cover all trips – from the first trip at 4:40 a.m. to the last trip at 10:10 a.m., except from April 12 to April 17 to give way for maintenance shutdown. Free rides will be implemented the same way normal operations work. For valid stored value (Beep) cardholders, they will only have to tap the card at the ticket gate to be able to enter the platform and avail of the MRT free ride. After getting off the train, they will have to tap their card again at the ticket gate to exit the facility. Those who do not own Beep cards, they will have to get a single journey ticket card at the ticketing booths for free. Same with the Beep cards, they will have to tap the single journey cards at the ticket gate to be able to ride MRT EDSA but they will have to insert their single journey ticket at the ticket gate to exit. Everyone can avail and ride the MRT free rides but once a single journey ticket is lost or damaged, a penalty of Php50.00 will be imposed for the violation. If an error on the cards occurred (e.g., Beep card was charged erroneously after tapping), passengers will just have to approach the teller’s booth for verification of the deductions.
Also Read: Free MRT Ride Extension & Other Transport Developments
In addition to free rides and public transportation services betterment, the government also wants to implement the expanded “Libreng Sakay” (Freeride) program on Edsa Carousel by April 2022. According to Land Transportation and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Executive Director Maria Kristina Cassion, around a 44milion passengers benefited from the servicing program. This will be of huge help for the commuters, especially for those earning minimum wage. Edsa Carousel bus route is one of the 31 City Buses Routes launched by LTFRB last year. As the name suggests, the route passes through EDSA and complements the MRT. The Edsa Carousel buses originally cover only EDSA from Mall of Asia to North EDSA, but it has been extended to run through from Monumento to PITX. Edsa Carousel bus stops include PITX, MOA, Taft Avenue, Ayala Avenue, MRT Guadalupe, MRT Ortigas, MRT Santolan, Main Avenue, Nepa Q-Mart, MRT Quezon Avenue, MRT North Avenue, SM North, LRT Munoz, Kaingin Balintawak, LRT Balintawak, Bagong Barrio, and lastly Monumento. The Edsa Carousel bus route operates from 3:00 am to 11:00 pm. The minimum bus fare for this route is Php13.00, full fare from Monumento to PITX is Php61.50. If the free ride were to be expanded and implemented by April, it will be of huge help for the commuters, especially for those earning minimum wage.
Living in Metro Manila means people will have to endure and pass through its busy streets and highways to get to their destination. EDSA, one of the primary roads here in Manila, passes through several important points (businesses, Districts, Malls, Shopping centers, etc.). Being one of the main routes to work and cities, EDSA is also the most congested with more than 400,000 vehicles traveling through every single day! Instead of dealing with the everyday traffic by riding the car or commuting via buses, MRT Edsa is a good alternative being offered out there to get from place to place. Cheap and very easy-to-do, quick mode of transportation to beat the traffic of EDSA.
To strengthen the convenience of commute and transportation, residing nearby MRT stations is also a great option. Vista Residences has condominium buildings along Makati, Manila, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Taguig, and Quezon City that could be an option for the workforce who intends to lessen the hassle of commuting and bring the working class nearby to their workplace. Vista Residences continues to create great quality units for its users and potential clients. They also give their users the freedom to shape it however they want and at the same time help them make eco-friendly purchases for their future homes. Indeed, it is a company that values its users’ way of living as it offers state-of-the-art amenities, the presence of leisure and recreational spaces in all its units, and 24/7 security. Make your next big step towards independent living with Vista Residences!
If you want to skip the commuting life and have a hassle-free experience going to work or school, check out the projects of Vista Residences in Central Business Districts and near top universities in Makati, Pasig, Ortigas, Quezon City, Manila, and Mandaluyong.
For more information on Vista Residences, email [email protected], follow @VistaResidencesOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, or call the Marketing Office at 0999 886 4262 / 0917 582 5167
