DOTr assures public train fares will not increase

The fares in the country’s railway lines — LRT1, LRT2, MRT3, PNR — will not increase despite the series of hikes in the prices of petroleum, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Thursday.

“Maigting na paalala, instruction ni [Transportation] Secretary [Arthur] Tugade na walang inaasahan at walang pinaplano na pagtaas-pasahe sa linya ng ating mga tren,” DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said at the Laging Handa briefing.

(Secretary Tugade’s marching order is that there are no plans to increase fare in our train lines.)

“Alam natin na may pagtaas ng presyo sa langis na maaring makaapekto sa presyo ng ating mga ibang bilihin, kung kaya’t sinisiguro natin… na sa sektor ng riles walang kinokonsidera na taas pasahe,” Batan said.

(We are aware of the increase in oil prices which could affect the prices of other goods, that’s why we assure… that in the rails sector, we are not considering a fare hike.)

Prices of petroleum products have increased for 11 consecutive weeks since the beginning of the year, bringing the year-to-date adjustments for diesel at a net increase of P30.65 per liter, gasoline at P20.35 per liter, and kerosene at P24.90 per liter.

The government released fuel subsidies for both public transportation and agriculture sectors to cushion any inflationary impact of the rising fuel prices. — RSJ, GMA News