The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) reported a total ridership exceeding 13 million for its ‘libreng sakay (free ride)’ program on Tuesday, less than two weeks before the program’s termination.

The MRT-3 said the free ride program has so far given 13,150,386 free rides since its beginning on March 28 until Monday.

“From March 28 to April 30, 2022, a total of 10,990,908 passengers were served by the rail line. This increased by 4,677,749 passengers who received free rides from May 1 to 16,” the MRT-3 said in a Facebook post.

The program, it said, aims to showcase to the public the improved service and facilities of the MRT-3 following the completion of its comprehensive rehabilitation in December last year.

“Ito rin ay upang makatulong sa mga gastusin ng mga pasahero sa gitna ng mataas na presyo ng mga bilihin (This also helps the expenditure of passengers amidst the rising prices of goods),” the MRT-3 said.

Previously set to end on April 30, the free ride program was extended up to May 30.

Since the implementation of the free ride program, the MRT-3 also began operating four-car train sets, increasing its passenger capacity.

To date, the MRT-3 is able to field 20 three-car Czech-made CKD train sets and up to four four-car CKD train sets along its mainline. (PNA)