No MRT, LRT fare hikes any time soon - DOTC

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said the proposed fare increases at the EDSA-bound Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and the LRT Lines 1 and 2, may not be imposed next month and probably not until the end of the year.

Dante Velasco, DOTC Undersecretary for public information, said the LRT Authority board of directors failed to convene for its monthly meeting this week, preventing its members from deciding on the fare hike proposal.

Velasco said that the LRTA board’s next scheduled meeting will be in the third week of November.

With the public consultations that would have to be conducted if the LRTA board approves the fare hike, Velasco said there may be no time left to impose the hike in December. The consultations could take at least two weeks.

DOTC Undersecretary for air and rail transport Glicerio Sicat, MRT officer-in-charge, said they will take their cue from the LRTA’s decision on the fare hike.

Velasco, who was present at the opening ceremonies of LRT Line 1’s newest station on Roosevelt Avenue yesterday afternoon, said the DOTC saw the need to hike fares at both the MRT and LRT Lines 1 and 2 to reduce the huge government subsidy to the three rail lines, which he said was placed at P7 billion a year.

Hiking fares, he said, is expected to pare down the subsidy by P2 billion.