No LRT fare increase! – LRTA

Manila, Philippines — Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator Melquiades Robles said no fare hike would be imposed anytime soon, allowing commuters to have a sigh of relief. Roles said any additional burden on the riding public would be a “bad start [for] the new administration.”

The Department of Finance (DOF) made a statement earlier this week, saying that fare hikes at the heavily-subsidized LRT Lines 1 and 2 would help the government address its budget shortfall which is projected to hit record levels this year. Robles responded to this saying, “That’s just wishful thinking on the part of the DOF which is understandable because [they] subsidize LRT operations.”

The last fare increase imposed by the LRT was seven years ago. “A fare hike is just wishful thinking by the DOF,” said Robles. “The fares are low because the government subsidizes as much as P40 per passenger.”

“Before any fare hike can be implemented, it has to be approved by the LRT board which has representatives from the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Office of the President.”

Close to half a million passengers ride on Line 1 while Line 2 averages P250,000 passengers daily. The LRTA manages LRT Line 1 which runs from Baclaran to Balintawak and Line 2 which plies Recto to Santolan.