Free transportation for students in the Philippines will start on July 1, according to the Department of Transportation (DoTr) instructions to the country’s state-controlled transport agencies.
Students will enjoy free rides on trains and waived terminal fees in airports and seaports in the country.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade announced the students’ perks during the 4th “Transport Talks” held on Thursday, June 27 in Clark, Pampanga.
“This is to give students incentives to go to school early and go home early… As we give benefits or free transport expense, we are trying to create a culture for a true student,” Tugade said.
The Free Transportation program also aims to have students grab the free rides within scheduled hours to help decongest traffic during rush hours.
The free transportation program covers students in elementary, high school, and college level including those taking up vocational and technical courses. Post-graduate students are not eligible.
To avail the free ride, students are required to present their school identification card until they are issued free ride IDs by the DoTr.
TRAIN RIDES
Here are the schedules of free train rides for students during weekdays beginning July 1:
Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT 2)
4:30 AM to 6:00 AM
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT 3)
5:00 AM to 6:30 AM
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Philippine National Railways (PNR)
5:00 AM to 6:00 AM
3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
The privately-owned Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT 1) is excluded from the free ride program.
The free train rides will be available only during weekdays and not on weekends and holidays.
DID YOU KNOW: The Philippines will have its first subway soon!
SEAPORT FEES
Students will enjoy waived terminal fees in 114 seaports Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). Seaports waived terminal fees for students begin July 16.
AIRPORT FEES
Airport terminal fees in CAAP owned and managed airports will be waived for students starting August 1.
Non-CAAP airports Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), and Clark International Airport (CRK) are not covered by the waived terminal fees program of the DoTr.
The Free Transportation program for students in the Philippines will be evaluated after three months to determine needed improvements.
To secure your Student Free Ride ID accomplish the form on DoTr.
LEARN MORE: Get help from the Air Passenger Bill of Rights (APBR) mobile app
SEND cheers in the comments below for DoTr, providing free transport for students in the Philippines!
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