Commuter group rails gov’t’s privatization of train systems, ‘neglect for riding public’

PHOTO by NESTOR CORRALES/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—“What should have been a public service was turned into a private business.”

That was the statement of a commuters’ group as they slammed Thursday the privatization deal between the Aquino government and the Ayala-Pangilinan consortium to take over the management of the Light Rail Transit (LRT).

The Riles Laan sa Sambayanaan (Riles) Network said the privatization is “an absolute state abandonment of a basic public service which would give more burden and danger to commuters,” Riles spokesman Sammy Malunes said.

“The LRT privatization is another bane to commuters. Through this lopsided PPP (private-public partnership) contract, Aquino forces us to pay higher fares and taxes under anti-commuter schemes such as the users-pay and the periodic fare adjustments,” Malunes said.

Riles refuted the claim of the Aquino government that the cheap fares of the Metro’s railway systems has resulted in its deterioration.

In a forum dubbed as “Political Will or Midnight Deal?” in Quezon City, Malunes said the privatized setting of the MRT and LRT has led to the railway’s “inefficient service.”

“The Aquino government should stop giving baseless alibis to justify the LRT’s privatization and the burdensome fare hike. The MRT (Metro Rail Transit) and LRT are in a dreadful condition because [they were] abandoned by the government. What should have been a public service was turned into a private business,” Malunes said.

Former LRTA administrator Mel Robles said poor management of the MT and the LRT is the cause of the poor condition of the metro’s elevated railways.

“The fare increase is an abuse,” Robles said.

In January, the MRT and the LRT increased their rates after the move was deferred several times.

“While 2015 will see increased fares, it will also see marked improvements in our LRT and MRT services,” Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said in a statement.

But technical glitches and accidents continue to mar the MRT and LRT.

“The recent consecutive accidents in the MRT are clearly resulted by the Aquino government’s neglect for the riding public. Aquino government has allowed the Metro Rail Transit Corporation and its private maintenance service provider APT Global to continuously profit from neglecting commuter’s safety and protection,” Malunes said.

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