Baybayin, bugtong, and literary masterpieces are the stars of this year’s LRT-1 Gabay Guro train

To celebrate National Teacher’s Month this September, the annual Gabay Guro LRT-1 train is set to ride once again from the LRT-1 Balintawak station.

A yearly collaboration between the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) and the PLDT-Smart Foundation, the special Gabay Guro-themed train has been journeying every September for the past three years. The 2019 Gabay Guro train puts Baybayin—one of the many ancient Filipino writing systems that’s also currently enjoying a renaissance—front and center on the cars’ design, together with bugtong and literary masterpieces of notable Filipino writers like Jose Rizal, Francisco Balagtas, Leona Florentino and Andres Bonifacio.

Members of LRMC and PLDT-Smart with today’s special guests: celebrity crooner Jay-R, renowned actor Gabby Concepcion, and Pinoy Big Brother stars Rhys Eugenio, Karina Bautista, Kaori Oinuma, and Aljon Mendoza

“We’re absolutely glad to be back once again celebrating National Teacher’s Month with the Gabay Guro LRT-1 train,” said PLDT SVP and Gabay Guro chairperson Chaye Cabal-Revilla. “We look forward to the smiles and joy the beautiful trains give our teachers, who serve our country and society as true everyday heroes.”

Honoring an ancient Filipino writing system through the Filipinos’ daily commute: this interactive wall lets passengers write their own names in Baybayin!

The teachers were surprised with celebrity guests who serenaded them during the train, including renowned actor Gabby Concepcion.

PLDT SVP and Gabay Guro chairperson Chaye Cabal-Revilla and LRMC President and CEO Juan F. Alfonso

“It’s an honor to continue our partnership for this excellent program that gives recognition to Filipino teachers everywhere, but also to do our part in educating all our LRT-1 passengers,” says LRMC President and CEO Juan F. Alfonso.

Look out for the Gabay Guro train riding out on the LRT-1 tracks this September!

Gabay Guro is the flagship program of PLDT-Smart Foundation that provides abundant support and assistance to teachers nationwide. Building the nation one teacher at a time, Gabay Guro has seven pillars, including housing and educational facilities, scholarships, trainings, livelihood programs, broadband and computerization, teachers’ tribute, and innovation.

LRMC is a joint venture company of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation (MPLRC), Ayala Corporation’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation (AC Infra), and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd. (MIHPL). It assumed operations and maintenance of LRT-1 in September 2015 through a PhP 65-billion 32-year concession.