Villafuerte appeals for LRT fare hike suspension: Masses still reeling from inflation

Rep. LRay Villafuerte. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte has appealed for the suspension of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2’s impending fare hike, as a lot of people are still reeling from the effects of high prices of commodities.

Villafuerte made the appeal on Tuesday, a day after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that it would push through with the fare increase starting August 2.

Headline inflation rates have declined for four straight months — or from February 2023 to May 2023 — but it remains high at 6.1 percent.

READ: LRT-1, 2 to raise fare starting August 2 — DOTr 

“I am making an 11th-hour appeal for the deferment of the planned fare adjustments by the three train lines in Metro Manila as ordinary commuters continue to reel from the persistent elevated inflation brought about primarily by high oil and food prices,” Villafuerte said in a statement.

“I didn’t expect our transport officials to foist a fare hike upon our train riders in Metro Manila who, along with the rest of the Filipino masa, continue to reel from the stubborn elevated inflation that continues to erode their purchasing power and makes it far more difficult for them to make both ends meet,” he added.

According to Villafuerte, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 must also defer any increases on their fare, especially as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a few months ago asked for the suspension of the fare hike until a thorough study on the new rates’ impact on the economy.

MRT has not yet submitted a petition for a fare increase, but MRT-3 director Oscar Bongan said that in the coming two weeks, they will seek for the approval of a P2.29 increase in the boarding fee and Po.21 hike for every kilometer.

READ: MRT-3 to push own fare hike in next 2 weeks 

“The DOTr, LRTA and MRTC should not spring this surprise upon commuters in the metropolis just two months after President Marcos himself ordered them to put back the planned fare adjustments,” he said.

“This is the last thing we expect our DOTr and LRTA officials to even think about, let alone carry out, at this time when no immediate relief for ordinary Filipinos seems in sight  from the ever-increasing cost of living that continues to erode their purchasing power,” he added.

Villafuerte is not the first to note that President Marcos himself ordered the deferral of the fare hike.  On Monday, progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) asked whether the Chief Executive has already “flip-flopped” on the issue given that last April 2023, he asked DOTr to temporarily stop the fare increase.

READ: Progressive groups question LRT fare hike: Didn’t President defer its implementation? 

The lawmaker said this is the last thing that the people need right now, given that the DOTr also stopped the free bus ride program along the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue.

“First, the DOTr scrapped this year the Libreng Sakay free bus rides at the EDSA Carousel; now they are raising fares at LRT-1 and LRT-2.  What will they think of next? Could it be the scrapping of fare discounts for students?” Villafuerte asked.

“Multilateral institutions like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank plus private analysts have downgraded their growth forecasts for the Philippines for this year, on the belief that although inflation has been on a decline lately, it will remain high enough to dampen household consumption, which is our country’s main growth driver,” he added.

LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 are three important transportation modes for Metro Manila and nearby provinces.  LRT-1 runs from Roosevelt Station in Quezon City, towards Balintawak, then Monumento Station in Caloocan City, and towards the heart of Manila’s commercial and cultural districts, before heading for Baclaran in Pasay City.

LRT-2 meanwhile traverses across Metro Manila, running from Recto Station in Manila to Cubao, Katipunan Avenue, and eventually towards Masinag in Antipolo City, Rizal.  Both LRT-1 and LRT-2 provides trips to a lot of passengers including students, as a lot of schools are located along these lines.

MRT-3 on the other hand services people near the country’s business districts, moving over and under EDSA.

READ: Higher MRT, LRT fare looms 

JPV