Bayan: MRT, LRT hikes timed to prevent questions in court

The militant organization Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) on Monday accused the government of announcing the MRT and LRT fare hikes just when the holidays are about to start to keep interest groups from questioning the increases before the courts before they're implemented.

Reyes said Bayan was considering questioning the fare hikes before the court on Jan. 5, the first working day of 2015.

He said Bayan had to put off for later the filing of the petition against the increases since the group’s officers would be able to discuss the matter with lawyers on Tuesday. Work in courts will only last for half a day on Dec. 23.

 

Meanwhile, National Center for Commuter Safety and Protection (NCCSP) president Elvira Medina said in an interview aired over “Balitanghali” Monday that they also plan to file a petition for TRO when courts resume work after Christmas but within the month.

 

However, the Supreme Court has declared there will be no work in all courts on Dec. 29 and Jan. 2, making Jan. 5 the earliest date any group can file its petition.

Government commitment

 

DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the fare hike will result in improved services on the MRT and LRT lines, which have long been plagued with glitches and breakdowns. 

 

Reyes, however, said the only parties that stand to benefit from the fare hike are the companies the government is in talks with to privatize the two railway systems.

 

“The government needs to increase the fares for the LRT as part of its commitment in the privatization contract of the train line. The MRT fare hike meanwhile goes to the continued equity rental payments under a privatized, build-lease-transfer agreement. It is an insult to the many MRT commuters who face the daily dangers of riding on an unsafe train,” he said in an earlier statement.

 

Once the fare hike is implemented, a ride on LRT-1 from Baclaran to Roosevelt will cost P29, while commuters will need to pay P24 for a one-way trip on LRT-2 from Santolan to Recto. 

 

A trip from North Avenue to Taft Avenue via the MRT-3, on the other hand, will cost P28 from the current P15 once the train fares have been increased.

 

At present, a one-way MRT fare ranges from P10 to P15, while a ride on LRT-1 and -2 costs from P12 to P15 and P20, respectively.

Upgrade services before hikes
 

Medina said the government should focus on improving the MRT and LRT’s services first before implementing a fare hike.

 

“Hindi naman madamot ang mga consumers. Kung talagang maganda ang serbisyo… at magiging safe, efficient at effective ang mga rail system [may basehan ang taas-pasahe]. Pero kami ay hinding-hindi bumubili ng mga pangako,” she said. 

 

The DOTC should have asked Congress for additional budget for the upgrade of the railway systems before charging commuters for these improvements, Medina added.

 

Congress has allocated P1.2 billion and P727.6 million for the rehabilitation of MRT-3 and LRT lines 1 and 2, respectively, in the P22.4-billion proposed supplemental budget for 2014.

 

Lawmakers likewise realigned P9 billion of the P53.9 billion intended for the MRT-3 buyout in the P2.6-trillion national budget for 2015 for the railway system’s repair and rehabilitation. —NB, GMA News