Private concessionaire Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) is seeking a fare adjustment for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) line 1.
LRMC spokesperson Jackie Gorospe confirmed in a Viber message the company filed the petition for such last year.
“But yes, we are confirming that we submitted a petition as part of the periodic fare adjustments process,” Gorospe said but did not disclose the amount.
LRMC is proposing an average increase of P12.50 for long-distance passengers or those that travel more than 16 kilometers on the train system.
The maximum fare of P45 for a single journey ticket will become P60 under the new fare matrix. The P30 fare for a single journey ticket from Dr. Santos Station to Quirino will be P40.
As for stored value tickets, the maximum fare of P43 will increase to P58 for end-to-end trips. The previous fare of P26 from Dr. Santos Station to Quirino will be P36.
Meanwhile, the Rail Regulatory Unit of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the petition of LRMC on January 9.
“This public hearing is for the 2024 fare application (we submitted last year) which is based on an increase from the 2022 fare application submission (different from what was approved in 2023),” Gorospe said.
Bayan said this is the second fare increase under the Marcos administration, saying it will have a significant impact on the commuters.
In August 2023, LRMC implemented the approved adjustment which pegged the fare at P13.29 with a distance fare of P1.21 per kilometer, from a boarding fare of P11 previously and distance fare of P1 per kilometer.
LRMC is invoking a provision in the privatization contract that allows it a regular, guaranteed fare hike when the notional fare is higher than the actual fare.
