Despite fare hike, commuters still queue for MRT, LRT rides

A fare increase has not diminished the long queues of commuters taking the Light and Metro Rail Transit systems.

 

On the first working day of the year, long lines formed anew at MRT stations, radio dzBB's Rodil Vega reported early Monday.

 

Commuters at the MRT North Avenue station in Quezon City told dzBB's Vega they still prefer the MRT because it can get them to their destinations faster, but said they expect better service with the fare hike.

 

Most of those in the early morning queue were students and workers.

 

A photo posted by dzBB's Vega on Twitter showed the long line that formed at the North Avenue station.

Kahit nagtaas ang pasahe sa MRT na dagdag pasanin sa mga pasahero, pila sa North Ave., mahaba pa rin. | via @Rodveg72 pic.twitter.com/WSuWgU2mYO

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) January 4, 2015
 

At the LRT Santolan station, meanwhile, the long queue of commuters spilled onto the streets.

Pila ng mga pasahero sa LRT Santolan kanina, ulat ni @FeuPortraits | I-tweet ang inyong ulat! #bantaycommute pic.twitter.com/FYjENXvMEy

— YouScoop (@YouScoop) January 5, 2015

 

Starting Jan. 4, the new base fare is P11 from the current P10 with P1 per additional kilometer.

 

Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Jose Emilio Abaya said the increased rates will bring improved services on the MRT and LRT lines.

 

LRT Line 1 links Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City to Baclaran, while Line 2 links CM Recto to Santolan. MRT links North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City via EDSA.

 

On Sunday, militants held selfie protests at LRT stations to question the fare hike.

 

Militants to fight fare hike

 

Meanwhile, militants started gathering at the LRT-2 Recto station for a protest action as of 7 a.m., radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported.

 

Militant groups also called on the public to join protests and support a petition before the Supreme Court questioning the fare hike.

 

Militant umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan called on commuters and taxpayers to "resolutely oppose" the fare increases, which it said had been "treacherously announced and implemented during the holidays."

 

Such a fare hike is "without legal basis" and "patently anti-commuter," it added.

 

Bayan branded the fare hike President Benigno Aquino III's "Great Train Robbery," which it said will "victimize the 1.3 million daily commuters of the MRT and LRT, taking from their pockets P2.1 billion."

 

"Today and in the coming days, we will stage mass protest actions to air the people’s outrage over the unjust fare increases. Today, we file a petition before the Supreme Court seeking a stop to the fare hike. A broad array of groups and individuals have united to challenge the fare hike before the High Court," it added. —Joel Locsin/KG, GMA News