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MRT pushes for fare hike - report


MANILA, Philippines – Riders of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-3 may have to pay an additional P7.50 to P10 next year if the Transportation and Communication Department (DOTC) approves the MRT management’s fare hike petition. In her report over 24 Oras, GMA News’ Tricia Zafra quoted MRT officials as saying that the fare increase is needed to remedy the transit’s congestion problem as MRT’s coaches have been overloaded in the past few months. The MRT, which runs from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City, is designed to carry 350,000 passengers daily but it now transports more than 400,000 passengers a day. MRT General Manager Roberto Lastimoso said they will recommend the fare hike proposal first quarter next year. Under the petition, the minimum P10 fare for short trips will be increased to P17.50 and the minimum P15 fare for short trips will be hiked to P25. Lastimoso said the newest petition will be their third recommendation since 2003. He added that when they asked for a fare hike in the previous years, economic managers advised Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza to defer the increase amid the an economic slump. “Meron daw instructions yung economic managers kay Secretary Mendoza na huwag muna (Economic managers advised Secretary Mendoza to defer it). It’s not timely to implement the fare hike because that time there was a slump in our economy, the peso went down," Lastimoso said. Lastimoso explained that the fare increase could reduce the government’s subsidies to the MRT-3. Citing figures from the DOTC, the television report said the government could save as much as P1.2 billion as it subsidizes P42 per passenger daily. The report however said MRT riders are not too keen on the proposed fare hike. “Kaya nga nag-MRT para makatipid (We ride the MRT to save on transportation costs)," said one passenger. “Kahit na maraming pasahero, magtititis kami dahil wala kaming pera eh (We don’t have money that’s why we are willing to ride the MRT even if there are a lot of passengers)," said another. The Light Rail Transit (LRT), for its part, said it will not propose a fare increase.- Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV
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