LRTA chief named OIC at MRT

MANILA, Philippines - Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya has named Light Rail Transit Authority chief Honorito “Joy” Chaneco as officer-in-charge of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT).

MRT general manager Al Vitangcol III is on leave while the investigation into the alleged $30-million shakedown attempt on a Czech contractor that was bidding for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 project is ongoing.

President Aquino appointed Chaneco to head the LRTA last April. Abaya and Chaneco were classmates at the Philippine Science High School.

Before his appointment to the LRTA board of directors, Chaneco was assistant general manager for Land Development, Construction Management and Technical Services of the Philippine Reclamation Authority.

Malacañang, meanwhile, will not order a separate investigation into the shakedown attempt and will let the DOTC look into the case.

Lacierda said the Office of the President would, as a matter of procedure, base its action on the findings and recommendations of the DOTC probe into this case.

“He (Vitangcol) has decided to go on leave precisely to allow the DOTC to conduct an investigation – a fair and impartial investigation – so let’s wait for the results of the investigation,” Lacierda said.

He refused to further elaborate on the controversy into the alleged shakedown attempt.

Meanwhile, the DOTC has yet to name a replacement for Vitangcol, who filed a leave of absence last Monday to allow the government to conduct an impartial investigation on the allegations made by Czech Ambassador Josef Rychtar that officials tried to extort $30 million from train maker Inekon Group.

A DOTC official said Abaya has yet to act on the leave of absence filed by Vitangcol.

“Technically GM Vitangcol is still in office,” the official said.

Public hearing on LRT fare

The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) is set to conduct a public hearing on the proposed increase in the fares of the MRT and Light Rail Transit (LRT) soon.

Hernando Cabrera, LRTA spokesperson, told The STAR that the agency would conduct a series of public consultations after the LRTA board revived a resolution approved over two years ago calling for an increase in LRT and MRT fares.

Cabrera said the LRTA board chaired by Abaya met last June 26 and agreed to revive the planned fare adjustment approved in May 2011.

He explained that the LRTA board approved a formula wherein a fixed rate of P11 plus P1 per kilometer would be charged to MRT and LRT passengers.

“It was not implemented two years ago but it was also not abandoned,” Cabrera explained.

Using the formula, he said MRT and LRT passengers would have to shell out P10 more for those using the mass rail transit systems from end to end.

However, he pointed out that only three percent of the total MRT and LRT passengers use the systems end to end.

He explained that most MRT and LRT passengers, whose average distance traveled in both systems is eight kilometers, would only shell out an additional P5 on the average.

Cabrera said the last time the LRTA raised the fares for the mass rail transit system was in 2003.

President Aquino mentioned in his 4th State-of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday that it was about time to raise MRT and LRT fares so that the subsidy extended to the mass rail transit systems could be used for other social services.

Commuters using MRT 3 along EDSA pay P15 for a one-way trip along the entire line from Taft Avenue in Pasay City to North Avenue in Quezon City, while the commuting public using the LRT line 1 from Baclaran in Pasay City to Monumento are charged the same. With Lawrence Agcaoili