MRT 3 fare hike looms

MANILA, Philippines - Commuters should brace for fare increases at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 line along EDSA, as the government reduces its fare subsidy starting next year.

Budget documents submitted by Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas to the House appropriations committee showed that the subsidy will be cut by P2.6 billion, or from P6.9 billion this year, to P4.3 billion next year.

Committee members said the 38-percent reduction means that the government would have to increase fares soon to support the operation of the EDSA rail system.

An increase in MRT fares was set during the time of Jose “Ping” de Jesus as transportation secretary, but the adjustment had been suspended indefinitely. The plan was to double the minimum fare to P25.

Aside from P4.3 billion in subsidies, the government will be spending an additional P1.8 billion in operational and maintenance costs for MRT 3.

Of that amount, P186.5 million will be for salaries, P1.6 billion for maintenance and other operating expenses and P9.9 million for capital or equipment outlay.

The government is no longer providing funds in the 2012 budget for the extension of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 line, which runs from Caloocan City to Manila and Pasay City through Rizal Avenue and Taft Avenue.

In this year’s budget, there is P1.6 billion for the extension of the Caloocan end of the LRT 1 line and P2.2 billion for the extension of the southern end.

Apparently, the total of P3.8 billion for the extension projects will continue to be used until next year.

There is also P162 million in the 2011 budget for an automatic fare collection system for MRT 3 and P78 million for a signaling system for the same line.

Roxas told the appropriations committee that maintenance problems have resulted in some coaches of the Edsa rail line stalling every now and then.

“We are trying to stabilize the Edsa rail link in terms of maintenance,” he said.

Aside from P6.1 billion in total MRT 3 funds, the proposed P34.6 billion 2012 budget for Roxas’ department also includes P1.2 billion for airport and navigational facilities, P725.4 million for ports and lighthouses, P550 million for the acquisition of disaster response and rescue equipment by the Coast Guard, and P1.1 billion for the upgrading and rehabilitation of waiting areas, lobbies and processing areas in airports.

There is likewise P8.6 billion budgeted for public-private partnership transport infrastructure projects.