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Libreng Sakay no more: EDSA Carousel free rides to end on December 31, 2022

Goodbye free bus rides, we’ll miss you.

Jerome Tresvalles on Dec 29, 2022

EDSA Carousel Libreng Sakay Program Header

The 24/7 Libreng Sakay sa EDSA Bus Carousel will have its last day on December 31, 2022, at precisely 5:00 AM on January 1, 2023, Busses will start charging fares once more for trips going to Monumento and PITX.

The Libreng Sakay Program, a joint effort between the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), provided free rides to 80,832,186 passengers. At the same time, 87 operators and 751 Public Utility Vehicles took part in the program as of December 27, 2022, according to the LTFRB.

Related: The EDSA bus carousel will get some help from Sweden’s government

Despite the end of the Libreng Sakay Program by yearend, the Department of Transportation vowed to continuously improve the infrastructure and services of the EDSA Busway, stating that the EDSA Busway must conform to international standards.

“The DOTr will continue to improve the services and infrastructure of the EDSA Busway. The EDSA Busway must conform to international standards.”

Jaime Bautista
DOTr Chief

If you’re a commuter who has availed of this charge-free bus service, be aware that at the dawn of next year, the EDSA Carousel busses will start charging fares once more.