President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday ordered the Department of Transportation to delay fare increases for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 and 2 and a P0.21 hike to the rail lines’ distance fare despite the agency’s approval of the long-delayed fare increase in Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2.
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista disclosed that Marcos wanted a more thorough study of the economic impact of the fare hike before its implementation.
“In compliance with the President’s instruction, we will thoroughly study how a fare hike today will impact passengers of our three rail lines in Metro Manila,” Bautista said.
The DoTr’s Rail Regulatory Unit or RRU — which is chaired by Bautista and has the power to deny or approve proposed fare adjustments — granted the fare increase for LRT lines 1 and 2.
The proceeds of the supposed increase would have been used for the technical capability, services, and facilities of the two rail lines.
“The fare increase will enable the two rail lines (LRT-1 and LRT-2) to improve their services, facilities, and technical capabilities,” Bautista said. “The fare adjustment will help sustain the two commuter rail lines’ affordable mass transport services.”
To recall, the last approved fare hike for rail lines LRT-2 and MRT-3 was back in 2015.
The LRT-1, which was privatized in 2015, has filed petitions for fare adjustments in 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022 — all of which were deferred.
Meanwhile, for MRT-3, the hike was also deferred “due to infirmities in complying with the requirements and procedure.”
The Light Rail Manila Corporation, which operates LRT-1, is allowed to apply for fare adjustments of at least 10.25 percent every two years after the effectiveness of the contract.