Stop light rail fare hike, Marcos urged

MANILA, Philippines — A commuter group is calling on President Marcos to retract his approval of the light rail fare hike, saying Filipinos continue to suffer from inflation.

“Our country’s inflation rate is still at the six percent level. Commuters, mostly workers and students, have yet to feel the supposed economic recovery,” Primo Morillo, convener of The Passenger Forum, said.

Marcos approved on Monday the fare hikes for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2, increasing the boarding fee to a minimum of P13.29 beginning Aug. 2. The distance fare will go up to P1.21 per kilometer.

LRT-1 and LRT-2 operators plan to use the additional income from the fare adjustment to rehabilitate and upgrade the railways.

Morillo, however, said the government should shoulder the costs.

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary Jorjette Aquino said the government decided to implement the fare increase after inflation dipped to a 12-month low of 6.1 percent in May.

The DOTr also approved in April a fare hike for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3, but Marcos deferred its implementation.