LRT, MRT fares to increase in December

Commuters using Metro Manila’s three rapid transit railways will have to deal with higher fares next month, a Transportation department official said Monday. Increases at the Light Rail Transit lines one (LRT-1) and two (LRT-2) and the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) are still being finalized but the minimum fare will not rise beyond P30, Transportation Undersecretary Dante M. Velasco said. "We will have the increase in December. We are not sure whether it will be implemented days before or after Christmas," he told BusinessWorld. Transportation department and Light Rail Transit Authority officials are scheduled to meet next week and a fare matrix could be finalized before the end of the month. Public consultations would then be held although the adjustments could be implemented earlier. "We may have the fare hike while conducting public consultations. If we see any valid concern not to continue ... we will do necessary actions," he said. "We really need to raise the fares. The money that the government will save can be used for other, more important projects that will benefit more people" Mr. Velasco said a fare increase would allow the government -- which subsidizes the light railways -- to save much as P2 billion every year. "This year, the government expects to spend P6 billion to subsidize MRT operations. Next year, this figure is expected to increase to P7 billion," he said. End-to-end travel on the MRT-3 that traverses EDSA -- from the North Ave. station in Quezon City to the Taft Ave. station in Pasay City -- currently costs P15. Mr. Velasco said the fare would be P48 if the subsidy was removed. The maximum fare at the LRT-1, which now runs from the Baclaran station in Pasay City to Roosevelt station in Bago Bantay, Quezon City, is P20. The Roosevelt end was opened recently as part of a plan to link the LRT and MRT lines. At the LRT-2 line, which runs from the Santolan station in Barangka, Marikina, to Recto station in Santa Cruz, Manila, the maximum fare currently stands at P15. -- A. M. P. Dagcutan, BusinessWorld