Poe: Court last resort of commuters vs LRT, MRT fare hikes

Sen. Grace Poe. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Asking the court to stop Sunday’s implementation of the fare increase by Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit may be the option left for the commuters, Sen. Grace Poe said Saturday.

“At this point we need the court to decide on the fare increase. I am hoping they will grant a TRO (temporary restraining order) pending hearing,’’ Poe said in a text message.

Beginning Sunday, LRT and MRT fares will increase by 50 to 87 percent. The new base fare would be P11, plus P1 for every kilometer.

End-to-end fare at MRT 3 will increase from P15 to P28.

Those at LRT 1 will move up from P20 to P30 for single-journey tickets and to P29 for stored-value cards. The fare at LRT 2 will be P24 for stored-value cards and P25 for single-journey tickets from the current P15.

Poe vowed to ask transportation officials to justify the fare increases when the public services subcommittee, which she chairs, resumes the inquiry into the MRT glitches.

“I will continue with the hearings when sessions start. DOTC will have to justify their backhanded move to raise fares and to time in their announcement during the holidays,’’ she said.

Poe had earlier called for a deferment of the MRT fare increase until its services improve.