Female passengers of two railway lines may enjoy free rides during rush hours on Wednesday in honor of International Women’s Day.
The Metro Rail Transit-Line 3 (MRT-3) said it would not charge fares to its female riders on March 8, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
MRT-3 general manager engineer Federico Canar Jr. said that the free rides are the railway’s way of expressing gratitude to the mothers in society.
“Ang MRT-3 po ay patunay sa napakahalagang ambag ng mga kababaihan sa ating bansa,” he said.
“Ang karamihan po sa ating mga ticket sellers ay mga kababaihan, gayon na rin po ang iba pang kawani ng mga istasyon na nagtitiyak ng sapat at ligtas na transportasyon para sa mga pasahero araw-araw,” Canar added.
“Ang libreng sakay po ay ang aming maliit na paraan ng pagbibigay-pugay sa ating mga kababaihan,” he futher said.
In another Facebook post, the MRT-3 said it is in solidarity with celebrating International Women’s Day with the theme “We (Women and Everyone) for gender equality and inclusive society.”
“Patuloy na magiging kasangga ng lahat ng mga kababaihan ang MRT-3 sa pagtataguyod ng kanilang mga karapatan at pagsusulong ng lipunang walang diskriminasyon,” it added.
The Light Rail Transit-Line 2 is also offering free rides to female passengers during the same hours.
Global celebration of women
International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global celebration every March 8 that commemorates women’s social, economic, and political achievements.
It also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality in all aspects.
The day additionally marks calls for positive change advancing women, lobbying for accelerated gender parity, and fundraising for female-focused charities, among others.
IWD has been observed since the early 1900s, a period of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.
It originated from the labor movements in the United States and Europe during the early 20th century and was spurred on by the universal female suffrage movement.
IWD held its first gathering in 1911, where men and women campaigned for women’s rights to work, vote, be trained, hold public office and end discrimination against them.
It has since been marked annually to raise awareness about issues involving women continuously and to celebrate their achievements in society.
IWD said that for 2023, the global campaign theme is “#EmbraceEquity.” It encourages meaningful conversations on “why equal opportunities aren’t enough” and “why equal isn’t always fair.”
In the Philippines, this year’s theme is “WE for gender equality and inclusive society.”
The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) said it is both a positive affirmation and a call to action.
Moreover, it is a “testament to the milestones achieved in closing gender gaps in the country and in gathering more support for the advocacy.”
PCW said the theme additionally highlights that growth must be inclusive, forging an environment that provides equal opportunities to all Filipinos and equipping them with skills to participate fully in an innovative and globally competitive economy.
