No MRT, LRT fare hike next year, Abaya tells Senate

THE Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) maintained on Tuesday that there will be no fare hike in 2016 in any of its services, such as the Metro Rail Transit (MRT).

READ: Abaya: LRT-MRT fare hike unlikely for rest of Noy term

The DOTC gave this assurance during Senate plenary debates at the Senate on the agency’s proposed budget next year.

“For the record, before we approve your budget, do you have any plans to increase fares again next year for any of your services, MRT, the trains…,” Senator Grace Poe asked.

“Baka mamaya, ito yung budget tapos biglang pagkatapos ng Pasko, magtaas kayo muli ng singil,” Poe added.

“No fare hike…over our dead bodies,” said Senator Loren Legarda, who was defending the DOTC’s budget as chair of the Senate committee on finance.

DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya was standing beside Legarda while Poe was scrutinizing the budget of the agency. Poe had earlier called for Abaya’s resignation for his alleged failure to address the perennial problems plaguing MRT’s operations.

Reacting to Legarda’s remark, Poe said: “Uy be careful what people might be wishing for.”