DOTr approves LRT-1 fare increase

MANILA, Philippines — Starting April 2, commuters have to pay higher fares to ride the Light Rail Transit Line 1 as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) approved the petition of LRT-1 operator for a fare increase.

The LRT-1’s concessionaire Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) announced the fare hike yesterday.

The minimum fare will go up to P20 from P15 for single journey tickets.

The fare for an end-to-end trip will be P52 from P43 for stored value cards and P55 from P45 for single journey tickets.

This means that commuters riding the LRT-1 from Fernando Poe Jr. station in Quezon City to Dr. Santos station in Parañaque, back and forth five times a week have to cough up an additional P400 for their monthly transport.

The DOTr approved a boarding fee of P16.25 and a distance fare of P1.47 per kilometer.

The approved fare hike is lower than the petition filed by LRMC.

LRMC president and chief executive officer Enrico Benipayo said this is just the second time in a decade that the concessionaire was permitted to increase fares.

He underscored the need for LRMC to adjust fares to be able to finance the operation and maintenance of the rail line.

“Public transport is a service that requires continuous investments in maintenance, upgrades and expansion. Countries with world-class transport systems such as Singapore and Japan adjust fares regularly to keep services efficient and safe,” Benipayo said.

Under the concession with the government, LRMC is allowed to adjust LRT-1 rates once every two years. The firm was denied proposed increases in 2016, 2018 and 2020.

The DOTr directed the LRMC to publish the new fares in a newspaper of general circulation at least once a week for three consecutive weeks.

To inform commuters ahead of time, the publication should include the adjusted fare matrix and the collection date.

The militant group Bayan condemned the LRT-1 fare increase, urging the government to review the LRMC’s concession, which guarantees fare hikes every two years.

Jeepney fare hike

Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will start today deliberations on a P2 fare increase for jeepneys.

Transport groups, led by the Pasang Masda and Liga ng Transportasyon at mga Operators sa Pilipinas, revived their 2022 petition for a fare hike amid rising fuel prices.

Transport groups are pushing for a P15 minimum fare from the current P13.

Passenger Forum convenor Primo Morillo, however, opposed the petition, saying it would be another burden for passengers.

Instead of a fare hike, Morillo said the government should suspend the implementation of the excise tax on diesel.

The current minimum fare for traditional jeepneys is P13 and P15 for modern jeepneys. — Bella Cariaso, Emmanuel Tupas