The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has some good news for commuters who plan on taking the LRT-2 East Extension when it opens next Monday: Free rides for the first two weeks.
This news comes following the project’s inauguration, where Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte asked DOTr head Arthur Tugade to consider giving commuters free rides from Santolan to Antipolo during the LRT-2 East Extension’s first two weeks of operation.
In a statement, Tugade said that the project’s completion will have a drastic impact on commuters' lives—especially for students who rely on the train line to get to Manila’s University Belt.
“Malaking bagay ‘ho ito, sasabihin ko lang kung mararapatin. ‘Pag nagbiyahe ka sa C.M. Recto papuntang Antipolo, by land—between 3 to 4 hours,” Tugade said.
“With the LRT Extension, magiging 30 minutes na lang po ‘yan. Ang ibig sabihin, maraming oras na mabibigay sa pamilya, pag-aaral at oras sa ating pagnenegosyo,” he added.
Commuting via the extension won’t immediately be straightforward, though. When passengers begin using the LRT-2 East Extension on Monday, they must board at the Antipolo Station or at the Marikina-Pasig Station and alight at the Santolan Station. From there, they must transfer to a separate train that will go all the way to Recto Station. Keep this in mind if you’re taking the train next week.
Once the LRT-2 East Extension is fully operational, it’s expected to cut the travel time from C.M Recto to Antipolo from three hours (via bus and jeep) to a much faster 30 to 40 minutes. Are you excited to try this when it opens?
