LRT 1 seeks P5-fare hike; final OK pending

HIGHER RATES Once green-lighted by the Department of Transportation’s Rail Regulatory Unit, the fare increase being sought by the Light Rail Transit Line 1 could take effect, at the earliest, during the second quarter of the year, or April. —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Passengers of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT 1) might start paying more for their rides by April after the railway’s private operator filed a petition for a fare increase to allow it to recoup its investments for maintenance works and the line extension to Parañaque and eventually, up to Cavite.

In its petition, the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) asked the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to allow it to hike the LRT 1’s base fare to P18.15 from the current P13.29 and the additional fare per kilometer to P1.65 from P1.21.

Commuters traveling between 5 km and 16 km will pay an additional P6.02 based on the proposed new fare matrix while those riding for less than five km will be charged P8.65 more per ride. On the other hand, those traveling beyond 16 km will pay an additional P12.50.

In an interview on Thursday on “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon,” Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said the LRT Authority has already approved the fare hike petition. But it would also need the go signal of the DOTr’s Rail Regulatory Unit (RRU) before it could be implemented “at the earliest, at the start of the second quarter or April,” he added.

Transport Assistant Secretary for Railways Jorjette Aquino, in an interview in Pasay, said the RRU should have a decision by next month on the LRMC petition.

Three outcomes

She cited three potential scenarios: the proposal could be approved as is, the fare hike could be green-lighted but at a lower rate, or the petition could be rejected.

“We will have to consider not only the petition of LRMC but also the positions of the different organizations that we heard,” she said.

LRMC president and CEO Enrico Benipayo, in a public hearing held on their petition on Thursday, said they have accumulated a fare deficit of P2.17 billion since 2016.

Under the concession agreement, Benipayo noted that fare adjustments are allowed every two years but in the past nine years, their petition has been approved only once—in 2023.

“If the notional fare is not adjusted, the fare deficit will continue to rise and would amount to P4.9 billion in the next three years,” he said.

In August 2023, the LRT-1 minimum boarding fare went up to P13.29 from P11, while the additional fare per kilometer rose to P1.21 from P1.

Denied

Before this, the last approved fare hike for the railway was in 2015. The LRMC filed petitions for adjustments in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022, but these were deferred.

Benipayo explained that the fare hike would also help them recover the P45-billion worth of investments in the past nine years to upgrade the railways.

In November last year, the first phase of LRT 1’s Cavite extension line was opened to the riding public. It links Baclaran Station in Pasay City to Dr. Santos Station in Parañaque City.

Bautista earlier said that 80,000 daily passengers were expected to be accommodated by the new line. It is equivalent to reducing 6,000 cars on the roads, he added.

The remaining stations of the extension line are Las Piñas, Zapote, and Niog in Cavite. Bautista previously said they were eyeing to start constructing these by 2025. —WITH A REPORT FROM MELVIN GASCON