LRT 1 fare hike long overdue, included in contract, says Palace

Malacañang on Monday explained that the fare hike of the Light Rail Transit Line (LRT1) is stipulated in the contract, noting that its implementation has been held for a long time. 

''Gustuhin po natin man ‘no, gustuhin po ng administrasyon na ito po ay hindi muna maituloy pero iyan po kasi ang nakasaad sa kontrata. Kung hindi po ako nagkakamali, nabanggit po ito na matagal na po dapat nagtaas ng presyo pero hino-hold po ito para po sa ating mga commuters,'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a briefing.

(Even if we want to, even if the administration doesn't want this to push through, that was stipulated in the contract. If I'm not mistaken, this fare hike should have been enforced a long time ago, however, it was put on hold for our commuters.) 

''Pero tingnan din po natin ang sitwasyon kapag kasama po kasi ito sa kontrata at hindi po itinupad or natupad ng gobyerno ay mas magkakaroon po nang malaking problema ang ating mga commuters,'' she added. 

(Let us also look at the situation because if it is written in the contract and if it will not be enforced, it will be a bigger problem for our commuters.)

The LRT 1 commuters should brace for higher fares beginning next month as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) approved the increase in the railway system’s fare matrix.

The Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) has said the revised fare matrix, as approved by the DOTr’s Rail Regulatory Unit, will be implemented starting April 2, 2025.

The current fare formula for LRT 1 of P13.29 boarding fee and a P1.21 increment per kilometer travel will be increased to P16.25 boarding fee and a distance per kilometer travel fare of P1.47.

Various groups made an appeal before the Office of the President to seek the reversal of the order on granting the fare hike.

''The President, being the Chief Executive, has the authority to reverse the DOTr order. The ball is now in the court of Bongbong Marcos and he can do the right thing by stopping the April 2 fare hike which will affect up to 370,000 commuters per day,'' the groups said in a separate statement. 

The groups pointed out that the fare hike was arbitrary as no “financial necessity” was presented in the petition for the said increase, ''only a so-called contractual obligation to raise fares by 10.25% every two years.''

''The DOTr also did not provide oppositors and the public the metrics for determining the new fares which increased by P5.00 up to P10.00 depending on the distance traveled,'' the groups said.

Those who filed the appeal were Bayan president Renato Reyes Jr. and Makabayan senatorial candidates Jerome Adonis of KMU, Mody Floranda of PISTON, and Mimi Doringo of Kadamay. They were also joined by Mhing Gomez of Anakbayan and Nanoy Rafael of commuter group PARA. —AOL, GMA Integrated News