PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. officially launched a 50 percent fare discount for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Metro Manila rail lines, expanding the government’s initiative to reduce transportation costs for priority sectors.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, during the President’s visit to the MRT-3 Santolan-Annapolis Station.
The expanded discount is part of a broader order issued by Marcos in June 2025, which also raised fare discounts for students from 20 percent to 50 percent.
The 50 percent discount now applies to all Metro Manila train systems -- LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 -- and will be effective daily, including weekends and holidays, until 2028.
Marcos emphasized the need to support sectors with limited income.
“We thought of this as one way to help our senior citizens and PWDs, who are among those in most need of government assistance,” he said.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon echoed this sentiment, noting that the government remains committed to making public transportation more affordable and accessible for Filipinos, especially those in vulnerable sectors.
To avail themselves of the discount, senior citizens and PWDs must present valid IDs at ticket booths. The discount will also be automatically applied to white Beep cards registered to eligible individuals. Commuters without Beep cards may still avail themselves of the discount using single journey tickets.
Marcos said the program is expected to benefit an estimated 13 million senior citizens and seven million PWDs nationwide each year. (Ericka May Charcos, HNU intern)