Malacañang appealed to the public not to give malice to the government’s decision to offer free train rides in celebration of Labor Day.

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after President Marcos ordered free rides on LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 from April 30 to May 3.

In her press briefing on Thursday, April 30, Castro appealed for fairness and said the public should be allowed to enjoy the benefits the government is giving them.

"Huwag naman po natin bigyan ng malisya (Let’s not give it malice)," she said when asked about the timing of the free train ride that coincided with the upcoming midterm polls and the dip in the President's trust and approval ratings.

"Hayaan po nating makinabang yung taong bayan sa mga maaaring itulong ng gobyerno sa kanya (Let the people benefit from what the government can offer them)," she added.

The Palace Press Officer also explained that Labor Day is the most appropriate time to launch such benefits.

"Ang May 1 po kasi International Labor Day po ito. Hindi naman natin pwedeng ibigay ito sa mga manggagawa sa December (May 1 is International Labor Day. We can’t give this to workers in December)," she said.

Castro reiterated that the initiative is part of President Marcos' tribute to the sacrifices and contributions of Filipino workers to the economy and society.

"Bigyan po natin kahit konting kaginhawahan at para maibsan naman yung kaunting hirap sa pamamasahe dahil malaki din po itong gastusin para sa mga manggagawa (Let’s offer them some comfort and ease the burden of commuting, which is a big expense for them)," she said.

She explained that the four-day duration was chosen to ensure that workers actually benefit from the program.

"Kasi po kung May 1 lang ibibigay, karamihan naman po walang pasok. So hindi naman po nila mararamdaman ang benepisyong matatanggap nila (If it’s given only on May 1, most workers don’t have work, so they won’t feel the benefit)," Castro said.