Active-duty troops to get free ride in LRT-2

LRT 2 Train in Santolan station (Photo by Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA — Starting Saturday, all troopers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be able to ride the trains of the Light Rail Transit 2 (LRT-2) free of charge.

This is to honor the heroism and sacrifices made by soldiers in safeguarding the country against all forms of security threats, AFP public affairs office chief Lt.

Col. Emmanuel Garcia said.

Last Dec. 19, the AFP signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) for a partnership, giving due recognition to the sacrifices of men in uniform by offering them a free ride on LRT-2 trains.

Garcia said the MOA stipulates that all active military personnel, even in civilian attire, are entitled to ride the LRT-2 (Santolan-Recto), free of charge, upon showing their AFP identification cards as access pass.

The MOA was signed by then AFP Civil Relations Service head Maj. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista and LRTA administrator Reynaldo Berroya.

Garcia said the MOA was noted by AFP Chief-of-Staff Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero and approved by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

“We are very thankful to the LRT Authority for their show of support to our troops in performing their duties.

This is a big help to our soldiers. This certainly boosts the morale of our troops and gives us more reason to perform better in our mandate of serving the people and protecting the state,” Guerrero said.

Aside from this partnership, both parties are looking forward to advance coordination to enable the AFP to provide ambulance and medical teams to assist the LRTA in emergency and crisis situations.