Issue TRO vs LRT fare hike, SC urged
January 8, 2015 | 11:07am
MANILA, Philippines - Militant group Bayan on Thursday called on the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the ongoing implementation of the fare hike of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).
"The SC should issue a TRO (temporary restraining order) today and spare the riding public, including the Nazareno devotees, further hardships," Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. said.
Reyes cited that on Friday, the feast of the Black Nazarene, the LRT trains will get its biggest ridership in a single day as millions are expected to flock to the event.
"On Jan. 9, 2012, more than 620,000 took the LRT. These same people are likely to be victimized by the continuing implementation of the fare hike. And commuters would have no way of getting a refund for the excessive fares," Reyes said.
Bayan also released an LRTA fare comparison which would make the LRT fares more expensive than those in Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
At the time, the fare per distance in pesos for the Hong Kong MTR was 41 centavos per kilometer. For the Japan rail, the fare was 67 centavos per kilometer. For the Singapore MRT, it was 34 centavos per kilometer.
Under the approved fares, the Philippine LRT would cost passengers P1.66 per kilometer.
Bayan called on commuters to press on with the protests against the fare hike now that two petitions have been raffled to a handling justice.
The group said that it was important for the SC to release a TRO so that the further injury to commuters can be prevented.
"We were able to stop the fare hike for nearly three years. We can do it again if there is strong public opinion. Protests will continue up to next week, leading to the SC en banc," Reyes said.
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