Half Fare, Full Ginhawa: MRT-3 and LRT-2 Cut Rates by 50 Starting Monday

Commuters riding MRT-3 and LRT-2 got a major break this week after the Department of Transportation said all passengers will receive a 50 percent fare discount starting March 23. The agency said the reduced rate will stay in place until further notice, giving riders immediate relief habang mataas ang pressure sa household budgets.

According to the DOTr, the move is meant to make daily travel easier and help the public spend less while the Middle East conflict continues to affect fuel costs and overall expenses. Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the government is trying to soften the burden on Filipinos as global tensions continue to push uncertainty into local prices.

The discount applies to everyone using the two rail lines. The DOTr also said current 50 percent discounts for white Beep card holders, including senior citizens, students, and persons with disabilities, will stay untouched. For blue Beep card users, the reduced fare will be applied automatically, while passengers without Beep cards can still buy discounted single-journey tickets.

MRT-3 officials said they are ready in case more riders shift from private vehicles to rail because of the cheaper fares. The agency added that the program will not require extra money from the national treasury and will instead be reflected as revenue loss for the rail service itself.

The DOTr is also exploring whether a similar discount can be rolled out on LRT-1, but as of the source report, there was still no final decision. For now, the sure thing for Monday commuters is simple: kalahati muna ang pamasahe on MRT-3 and LRT-2.

Source: Philippine News Agency — https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1271411