Marcos order to defer LRT 1 and 2 fare hike hailed
ANOTHER lawmaker lauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to postpone fare increases for LRT-1 and LRT-2 pending a thorough study.
AGRI Party-list Representative Wilbert T. Lee said the increase in the fare is untimely considering that Filipinos are still suffering from high inflation rate and lack of job opportunities.
“Nagpapasalamat po tayo kay President Marcos for his wisdom in deferring the implementation of fare increases sa LRT-1 at LRT-2 hanggang wala pang masusing pag-aaral sa magiging epekto nito,” Lee said.
“Malaking ginhawa po ito para sa ating mga estudyante at manggagawa na bumubuo sa karamihan ng mga sumasakay sa LRT at MRT. Sila ang magiging pinaka-apektado kapag nagtaas ng pamasahe, lalo at nakabalik na tayo sa face-to-face na klase at trabaho,” he added.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista announced on Tuesday that the DOTR has approved fare hikes for both LRT-1 and LRT-2, but will defer its implementation upon the orders of Marcos pending a thorough study on “how a fare hike today will impact on passengers.”
Once implemented, the minimum fare for both LRT-1 and LRT-2 will increase to P14 from P12, while the maximum fare for LRT-1 will increase to P35 from P29, and P33 from P28 for LRT-2.
In the same briefing, Bautista revealed the fare hike for MRT-3 was also being deferred “due to infirmities in complying with the requirements and procedure.”
Lee said the proposed LRT-MRT fare hikes, if implemented, would have been a “cruel blow” amid rising inflation levels.
“Napakataas ng inflation rate natin the past three months: 8.7 percent for January, 8.6 percent for February, and 7.6 percent for March. Kaya tama lang na maghintay na pag-aralan muna nating maigi kung ano ang tuluyang epekto ng ganitong pagtaas sa mga ordinaryong Pilipino,” he added.
Last year, Lee urged his fellow lawmakers to restore the proposed budget of the DOTr for its “Libreng Sakay” program.
The LRTA had earlier petitioned for an additional P2.50 increase in the LRT-1 and LRT-2 while the MRT-3 is pushing for a P3 to P4 increase.
