'Libreng Sakay' program for EDSA Carousel buses returns for free rides

The Libreng Sakay program for the EDSA Busway has returned as of April 11, 2022. That's according to an official Facebook post from the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB). The LTFRB, in collaboration with the Department of Transportation, is piloting the program to give free rides to authorized persons out of residence (APORs).

The news comes as Phase III of the Service Contracting Program reached approval recently. The General Appropriations Act of 2022 provided a P7-billion budget for the program, giving 515 out of the 532 registered public utility buses (PUBs) leeway to participate in delivering free rides in the EDSA Carousel route.

Who's qualified to avail of the free rides? According to the LTFRB, APORs, including healthcare workers and other frontline workers, can take advantage of the Libreng Sakay program. The regular operating hours of 4 AM to 11 PM will prevail while the program is in effect. On top of that, the LTFRB has promised to make more bus routes and free rides available to the metro's commuters as soon as possible.

It isn't the first time that the Libreng Sakay program is making lives easier for commuters, as the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) system also recently opened its doors to commuters for free. That program recorded nearly two million passengers in its first week of operations, 309,225 riders on Friday, April 1, 2022. That's the highest figure on the MRT-3 since the pandemic began.

The Libreng Sakay program has proven to be an essential tool for bringing a sense of normalcy back to commuters' lives in Metro Manila. As we continue exploring a post-pandemic landscape, we can expect government agencies to keep finding ways to navigate our busier roads with more ease and efficiency. Interested commuters can now ride buses on the EDSA Carousel line for free starting today, April 11, 2022.