Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Francis Orcio

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — A transport strike by jeepney groups partially disrupted daily commute across parts of Metro Manila on Thursday leaving some passengers struggling to get a ride.The shortage in transportation pushed government to roll out free ride services on select routes and a 50-percent fare discount on rail lines.Among those affected was 20-year-old student Pauline De Vera, who waited for more than 30 minutes for a jeepney in the Taft Avenue–United Nations area.She was heading home to Cubao from school in Pasay but found it unusually difficult to find transportation. &quot;Iyong hinihintay ko ay Cubao. Tapos sobrang dalang Cubao ngayon. Wala masyadong jeep,&quot; De Vera said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/19/piston-launches-transport-strike-0805">Transport groups launch nationwide strike to protest soaring fuel costs </a></div>&quot;Simula kasi noong nagtaas iyong gas, sobrang dalang na lang ng mga bumabyahe ngayon. So, mahirap talaga sa mga commuters ngayon,&quot; she added. Snooky Esquivel and Wendy Duncan, who were traveling from Divisoria in Manila to Antipolo, Rizal, also experienced difficulty finding a jeepney and opted to take the LRT-2 instead.The two, who regularly rely on the train system, said they are looking forward to the planned 50-percent fare discount set to take effect on March 23.&quot;Malaking tulong din naman actually. Pero sana nga bumaba din talaga iyong presyo ng pamasahe [sa jeep], kasi tulad namin, wala rin kaming kakayahan mag-taxi, mag-motor,&quot; Esquivel said.Duncan, meanwhile, appealed not only for lower fares but also for higher wages.&quot;Kasi ano e, nagtataas iyong presyo, pero iyong sweldo ng tao hindi tumataas. Iyon &#x27;yung mahirap doon. Siguro, dagdagan din kahit papaano,&quot; Duncan said.The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the fare discount for all passengers of MRT-3 and LRT-2 follows the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ease the burden on commuters amid global oil price pressures.&quot;Prayoridad natin ang tuloy-tuloy na biyahe at mas murang pamasahe kaya magbibigay tayo ng 50% discount sa MRT-3 at LRT-2 para sa lahat,&quot; said Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez.The agency is also studying the possibility of extending the same discount to LRT-1, which is operated by a private firm.Despite the government’s response, Akbayan Party-List Rep. Percival Cendaña said the fare reduction may not be sufficient to address the needs of affected commuters.“The government’s discount is good, but the riding public needs free train rides. While we claim this as partial victory in our call for accessible and free public transportation, especially in times of crisis, we believe that the government can actually do more,” Cendaña said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/19/gov-t-offers-free-rides-to-commuters-amid-strike-1140">Gov’t aids commuters with free rides amid nationwide strike </a></div>&quot;Kung kaya magbigay ng malaking discount, lubos-lubusin na nila. Gawin na nilang libre ang train rides para hindi na makabawas pa ang pamasahe sa overall na gastusin ng mamamayan, lalo na at may krisis,&quot; he added. Cendaña maintained that making train rides free would further ease the financial burden on commuters as the cost of living continues to rise.Meanwhile, the DOTr has also begun implementing free ride programs on limited routes, including Quiapo to Welcome Rotonda; Welcome Rotonda to Cubao; Nagtahan to Cubao; Taft–UN Avenue to PITX; and Lawton to PITX.Commuters may avail of these free rides daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A transport strike by jeepney groups partially disrupted daily commute across parts of Metro Manila on Thursday leaving some passengers struggling to get a ride.

A transport strike by jeepney groups partially disrupted daily commute across parts of Metro Manila on Thursday leaving some passengers struggling to get a ride.

Transport strike disrupts commute; Gov’t rolls out free rides, train fare discount

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Transport strike disrupts commute; Gov’t rolls out free rides, train fare discount

Francis Orcio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 20, 2026 12:11 AM PHT

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Transportation

Transport Strike

DOTR

Jeepney

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Oil Hike

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