Gov’t urged to cushion impact of MRT, LRT fare hike

MANILA, Philippines - Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has called on his allies in the administration to look for ways to cushion the impact of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) fare hike.

Cayetano said the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) should also find an alternative solution rather than pass on the burden to commuters.

“The government cannot choose the easy route by placing more burden on commuters through a fare hike. It must be the one to think of ways to augment the income from the MRT and LRT for it to be able to meet its obligations,” he said.

Cayetano said the government should instead increase the non-rail income of MRT and LRT train lines, referring to advertisements and commercial spaces in train stations.

He said improved train services should not be used as an excuse to raise fares, noting that Congress has approved the budget for such improvements.

Gov’t subsidy

Cayetano said there is a P1.92-billion allocation for the operation and maintenance of the MRT, P4.66 billion to cover government subsidy to the MRT and P3.82 billion for the repair and rehabilitation of LRT Lines 1 and 2 in the 2015 national budget.

“The government does not need to increase fares in order to support capacity expansion and improvement projects. We already have the budget for that,” he said.

He said measures to lessen the impact of the fare increase should be implemented if it cannot be avoided.

He proposed offering discounts to students, who comprise around 31.5 percent of MRT and LRT riders, and giving vouchers for free rides to minimum wage earners.

Senators Grace Poe, Vicente Sotto III, Sergio Osmeña III, Aquilino Pimentel III, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla also questioned the fare hike.

“Maybe a 10 to 20 percent increase could be justified. The government and Congress should ask and get to the bottom of these questions: why is the use of LRT/MRT that expensive?” Pimentel said.

He also wanted to know if the government entered into onerous contracts that could have caused the unwarranted expenses on the MRT and LRT managements.

Osmeña said government subsidy is still needed even if a P27 fare would be imposed.

Sotto lamented that the Filipino people bear the brunt of lapses in the management of the LRT and MRT, which led to the need to increase fares.

“They should have upgraded service first before raising rates,” he said.

Stop MRT, LRT fare hike

“Stop MRT hike. Not even defer but to stop,” Estrada in a statement, expressing pity for his hard-up countrymen. 

“Is that the kind of Christmas gift they want to give our people?” he asked, adding that it could be because those who decided to raise train fares have cars and do not have to line up at stations.

Estrada also called for a review of the contracts signed on the maintenance of the railway system.

“I remember during the time of my father the operators wanted a fare hike but he did not allow it. Not timely. They should be mindful of the plight of the people. They should feel the pulse of the people,” Estrada said.

Revilla said the fare hike is “unjust,” considering the LRT and MRT’s poor facilities and services.