LRT, MRT fare hike consultation ends sans consensus
PHOTO BY KRISTINE SABILLO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — With all participating groups expressing their opposition, transport officials and commuters were not able to get a consensus or even a compromise on the proposed Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) fare increase.
“We can’t really say what will happen. Nothing is final,” LRT Authority (LRTA) spokesperson Atty. Hernando Cabrera said in an interview after the consultation at the LRT depot in Santolan.
The LRTA has long been pushing for a fare increase but it has yet to be approved by the national government. In 2011, they organized a similar activity, presenting the same rate proposal, but no green light was given.
Under the proposal, the train fares will increase as follows:
LRT Line 1 Baclaran to Roosevelt: P30 from the present P20
Article continues after this advertisementLRT Line 2 Recto to Santolan: P25 from P15
Article continues after this advertisementMRT Line 3 Taft to North Avenue: P28 from P15
Nevertheless, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Undersecretary Eduardo Oban Jr. said they were happy with the consultation, saying it was a “good exercise of freedom of expression.”
He said they’ll give due consideration to the positions raised.
Asked if there will be more consultations in the future, he said, “(It’s supposed to be a) one-time consultation but we’ll see.”
“We’ll give weight to everything that was said, before (they) get to a very intelligent decision,” he added.
During the consultation, workers and commuter groups questioned the basis and the timing of the proposed fare hike.
They pointed out that the budget deficit of the LRTA and the MRT Line 3 was due to debt payments.
The LRTA admitted that train revenues were enough to cover operation expenses but they still needed to fund projects that are in the pipeline.
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