Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 11) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to defer fare hikes for LRT-1 and LRT-2 as high inflation continues to hurt consumers’ wallets.
In a statement on Tuesday, the DOTr said while the higher rates have secured approval, the president said the department must “reassess the economic impact on the riding public should the government increase rail fares now.”
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the approved rates would increase boarding fees by ₱2.29 and .21 centavos for every kilometer.
He added during a briefing that the date of the implementation would be disclosed after DOTr confers with the National Economic and Development Authority and train operators.
Discussions about this may take “a few months,” he noted.
Petitions for fare increase surfaced as train operators have been recording fare deficit that has so far reached billions of pesos, Transportation Assistant Secretary for Railways Jorjette Aquino said.
Aquino noted that the last fare increase for LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 occurred more than eight years ago, in January 2015.
“The proceeds of the fare increase are intended to improve their services, facilities, and technical and technological capabilities to make mass transportation accessible, convenient, and efficient for the riding public,” Bautista said in the statement.
“I am confident this fare adjustment will help sustain the two commuter-train lines’ affordable mass-transport services,” the transportation chief added.
Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. called the DOTr’s approval of the fare hike as “anti-people and anti-commuter.”
“LRT-1 is privately operated and so the fare hike will go to the LRMC consortium. The LRT-2 is publicly owned and operated and so the reasoning here is that government wants to reduce its subsidy for commuters,” he said in a statement.
While there is no specific date of implementation yet, Reyes said this was ill-timed as “people are reeling from record inflation.”
“As oppositors to the fare hike petition, we have yet to receive a copy of the DoTr resolution. We will examine the resolution and undertake whatever legal means available to stop it,” he said.
