Group to fight train fare hikes in court

MANILA, Philippines - A militant group today vowed to bring to court the government's plan to implement fare hikes at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2.

"With the certain implementation of a fare increase in the MRT and LRT lines, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) vowed to fight the measure in court," the militant group said in a statement.

Simultaneous with the court petitions, the umbrella militant group said they will bring the issue "in the streets," indicating possible massive protests if the government pushes through with its plan to implement the train fare hikes.

"It won't be a walk in the park," Bayan vowed against the government's train fare hikes plan.

The Light Trail Transit Authority (LRTA) had initially planned to implement the fare hike last March, but it was deferred by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) pending further studies.

Yesterday, Transportation and Communication Secretary Mar Roxas said that the time is ripe for the MRT and LRT fare hikes. President Benigno Aquino III is also pushing for the plan.

"President Benigno Aquino III has been feeling the pulse of the riding public since almost a year ago by deferring the fare hike. However, it has reached a certain level that the need to implement the long-overdue and approved increase be in effect in order to further improve current [train] operations and services,” Roxas said in a statement.

Roxas said that instead of spending taxpayers' money to subsidize the MRT and LRT fares, which is availed mostly by Metro Manila residents, should be used in "executing development programs in other regions and provinces."

Bayan leader Renato Reyes Jr. said increasing the MRT and LRT fares would be a "callous act" from the government.

"The reduction of subsidy is patently anti-commuter. The reason why government is spending a lot to subsidy is because it is paying the debts from an onerous contract,” Reyes said, adding that the implementation of the fare increases could not be timely since Filipinos are currently under "intense economic hardship."

He said that instead of reducing or totally cutting off the subsidy for train commuters, the government should find a way on how to stop "onerous debt payments."

Reyes added that even without a fare hike, the LRT Line 1 will still earn revenues, "though small."

The LRT Line 1, which runs from Baclaran to Monumento, has the biggest ridership among the three train systems.

The LRTA implemented the previous provisional fare adjustment of P11 base fare plus P1 per succeeding kilometer of its Line 1 and 2 systems, while the DOTC approved the similar fare adjustment requested by MRT.

The LRTA board had also approved the issuance of student discounts of 20 percent.

The MRT currently has a maximum fare of P15.

Line 1 currently has a maximum fare of P20 from its south end station in Baclaran, Parañaque City to its north end station in Balintawak, Quezon City.

Line 2, on the other hand, has a maximum fare of P15, from its east end station in Santolan, Pasig City to its west-end station on C.M. Recto Avenue in Manila.