The Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) has filed a petition with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for a 10.25% fare increase on the Light Rail Transit Line 1, a move that could significantly impact daily commuters. A public hearing is scheduled for Thursday to review the proposed hike.
Under the LRMC petition, the boarding fare would rise to P18.15, while the distance fare would increase to P1.65 per kilometer. Commuters, at present, pay P13.29 for boarding fare and P1.21 per kilometer for distance fare. This means the total fare for an end-to-end journey would increase from P43 to P58 for stored value card users, and from P45 to P60 for single-journey ticket holders.
This fare adjustment is part of a concession agreement that allows LRMC to increase fares every two years by 10.25 percent or 5 percent annually. The company said the fare hike is necessary to maintain service quality and support recent system upgrades since the LRMC took over operations in 2015.
In its petition, LRMC said it has implemented significant improvements, including operational upgrades and rehabilitation projects, to enhance rail service. “While not required under the Concession Agreement, these improvements justify the proposed fare adjustment,” the company said.
However, the petition has met with strong opposition. Bayan, a progressive political group, criticized the increase as unjust, particularly given the rising cost of living and stagnant wages. Bayan warned that the fare hike would add P20 to daily expenses, P100 to weekly costs, and P400 to monthly spending for commuters.
“While LRMC claims that improvements justify the fare increase, it’s clear that private operators are exploiting the system and passing on the burden to commuters,” Bayan said in a separate statement. “We also question the DOTr’s hearings, which seem like mere formalities with the outcome already predetermined.”
As the public hearing draws near, commuters are left to wonder how much higher their transportation costs will climb and whether the promised service improvements will justify the financial strain.
