Philippines | Pinoy | Filipino | Philippine News

Nov 12, 2008 | Mich109

MANILA, Philippines – There is a possibility of a fare increase in the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT) by P7.50 if the Transportation and Communication Department (DOTC) allows them to.

In a report, it was quoted that it is timely for the MRT to increase fare rates to comply with the congestion problem that occurs nowadays at the MRT for being overloaded.

Today, the MRT now carries more than 400,000 passengers from Quezon City (North Avenue) to Pasay City (Taft Avenue) when it is designed to comply only with 350,000 passengers a day.

Roberto Lastimoso, MRT General Manager, admitted that they will be recommending a fare increase proposal by next year’s first quarter.

In the MRT’s fare hike request, it was stated that the minimum P10 fare will be increased to P17.50, for short trips and the P15 minimum fare will be turned to P25.

The MRT General Manager said that that will be their third request for a fare hike since 2003. He said that in their previous petitions, they were turned down because they were said that it was not timely for having the reason that the country’s economy is in the dumps.

Lastimoso argued that it would be better if they could increase fare rates in order to reduce the government’s grants to MRT-3.

On the side of the passengers, though, it was said that they will not agree on it. They argued that they are using the MRT to save for their transportation tolls.

The Light Rail Transit’s (LRT) part, they stated that they won’t soon be having fare hikes.

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