LRT/MRT fare hike deferred

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has postponed indefinitely the plan to raise fares at the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2, and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) along EDSA.

Dante Velasco, DOTC undersecretary for the road transport sector as well as head of public information, management information systems and the Action Center, said that the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) board of directors met yesterday and decided not to raise fares just yet.

Velasco said that the LRTA board headed by Transportation Secretary Jose de Jesus saw that the timing was not good for a fare hike, considering the rising prices of basic goods and services.

“Basically, it was decided that it was not the time to raise fares at the three rail lines,” Velasco said, adding that the decision was in line with President Aquino’s order to ease the burden on commuters.

The DOTC had come up with a proposal to raise fares to reduce the huge billion-peso subsidy of the national government to the LRTA and for the DOTC to operate the three rail lines.

The LRTA last February deferred implementation of the hefty fare hikes to allow a review of the proposed rates by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

The LRTA had earlier set the implementation of the fare hike on March 1.

The LRTA has so far implemented the previous provisional fare adjustment of P11 base fare plus P1 per succeeding kilometer on its Line 1 and 2 systems, while the DOTC also approved the similar fare adjustment requested by the MRT.

The LRTA board had also approved the issuance of student discounts of 20 percent.

The MRT, which runs from North Avenue to EDSA-Pasay Taft, currently has a maximum fare of P15.

LRT 1 currently has a maximum fare of P20, from its south end station in Baclaran, Parañaque City to its north end station in Balintawak, Quezon City.

LRT 2, on the other hand, has a maximum fare of P15, from its east end station in Santolan, Pasig City to its west-end station in C.M. Recto Avenue in Manila.