Group tells SC: Expedite 2015 MRT-LRT petition, implement 'refunds' as fare hikes loom
MANILA, Philippines — Bayan Muna party-list is calling on the Supreme Court, Friday, to hasten the resolution on a case filed by the former in 2015 questioning the legal basis of fare hikes then imposed by the MRT-3 and LRT systems — effectively asserting refunds to commuters as discounts.
The militant group is pushing the High Court to expedite said decision at the heels of a possible new fare hike within the LRT-1 and LRT-2 systems, this after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board approved a resolution from the Light Rail Transit Authority.
"The former [Department of Transportation and Communication] pushed for a fare hike on all the lightrail systems in December 2014 saying that this is geared to improve the services of MRT and the LRT," said Bayan Muna executive vice preisdent Carlos Isagani Zarate.
"But instead of improving the services, for instance the MRT service worsened with 3 to 4 daily glitches, with some even endangering the lives of passengers after the increases during that time."
"Now they are pushing for another fare increase while as far as we know there has not been any public consulation on the matter."
The Supreme Court in 2015 earlier deferred the temporary restraining order on the implementation of fare increases in the LRT and MRT lines. A base fare of P11 for the two lines was implemented January 4 of that year.
It could be remembered that multiple petitioners asked the SC to void the order of the DOTC that paved the way for the increases, citing "grave abuse of discretion" after no consultation was held prior to the implementation of the fare adjustment.
On the newly proposed LRT fare hikes
The freshly forwarded LRT-1 and LRT-2 fare hikes aim to increase boarding fare by P2.29 alongside an additional distance fare of 21 cents/kilometer.
While the LTFRB have approved said increases last Wednesday, it still needs to clinch the approval of the Department of Transportation and other government agencies before actual implementation.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Thursday, slammed LTFRB's approval as there have been no mention of any public consultations about the matter.
Zarate, a public interest lawyer and former lawmaker, questioned the timing of the possible hikes after December 2022 recorded a 14-year high inflation rate at 8.1%.
"[S]uch a move would not just be another burden to commuters but is inflationary as well," adds Zarate.
"At this rate the World Bank's projection of a global recession this year can hit the Philippines sooner with the prices of so much products and services are already skyrocketing while salaries remain at a pittance."
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last month dismissed the possibility of a recession in the country after boasting about the lowering of unemployment in the country.
'Refund hikes, return to 2014 rates'
With the astronic rise in prices of commodities, the progressive political party urges the SC to fast track the resolution of said case — this while seeking for refunds to the riding public.
"[W]e plead for the High Court to resolve the said case the soonest, especially our prayer of returning the fare to its previous rates and for the accumulated funds from the fare hike to be returned to MRT and LRT commuters through discounted fare," ends Zarate.
All of this is happening while 51% of Filipino families look at themselves as "poor," according to the most recent Social Weather Stations survey conducted last December.
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