House launches free rides for SJDM-Welcome Rotonda-Fairview Terraces route

The House of Representatives on Thursday launched a temporary free ride program for the public traveling the San Jose del Monte, Bulacan—Welcome Rotonda—Fairview Terraces route amid rising fuel costs affecting workers, students, and other daily commuters.

The project, dubbed as “Biyaheng Damayan: Libreng Sakay mula sa Kongreso,” is an initiative of Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos.

Biyahang Damayan deploys four buses which will serve the routes every Monday, Thursday, and Friday, beginning March 26, during morning and afternoon peak hours.

The free rides will cover two linked routes in the morning: San Jose del Monte, Bulacan to Welcome Rotonda and Welcome Rotonda to Fairview Terraces.

In the afternoon and evening, the return trip will run from Welcome Rotonda to Fairview Terraces and vice versa, allowing passengers to move through one of the busiest commuter corridors in northern Metro Manila and nearby Bulacan.

In addition, Biyaheng Damayan gives priority or assisted boarding to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women.

“This is about making sure that government response is felt where it matters most—in the daily lives of our people,” Marcos said.

“Tungkulin nating tiyakin na may agarang tulong para sa ating mga kababayan habang tumataas ang presyo ng langis at pamasahe dahil sa mga pangyayaring wala sa ating kontrol,” Marcos added.

(It is our mandate to help the public while fuel prices keep rising beyond our control.)

No special permit needed

House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), in a March 25 letter to her office, raised no objection to the House operating the four buses under Biyaheng Damayan.

In addition, the LTFRB informed Garafil that Biyaheng Damayan buses do not need a special permit because the vehicles are official government vehicles and no fare will be collected from passengers riding under the program.

The House Majority Leader noted that free rides for the public is in line with his father and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s broader economic strategy of mobilizing all government agencies to mitigate the effects of external shocks on the domestic economy.

“Hindi puwedeng puro long-term solutions lang. Kailangan may agarang ginhawa para sa mamamayan habang inaayos natin ang mas malalaking usapin sa ekonomiya,” he said.

(We cannot rely on long term solutions alone. We need to provide immediate relief while working on other high-impact responses in the long run.)

The Middle East conflict started when a joint US-Israel Operation Epic Fury launched airstrikes targeting Iran’s seat of government last February 27 to supposedly deter Iran’s missile program, which threatens the region’s security.

This operation has since killed Iranian leaders and prompted Iran to retaliate by launching airstrikes targeting US bases, among others, located in Middle Eastern countries where the Philippines sources 98% of its crude oil supply.

House of Representatives launch Libreng Sakay for the San Jose del Monte-Welcome Rotonda-Fairview Terraces route amid rising fuel prices brought about by war in the Middle East
(Photo and video courtesy of House Office of the Secretary General Cheloy Garafil) @gmanews pic.twitter.com/4E5xBnzjvU

— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) March 26, 2026

—AOL, GMA Integrated News