MRT fare hike inevitable - DOTC chief
MANILA, Philippines - A fare hike at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) is "inevitable," officials told ABS-CBN News on Wednesday.
DOTC Secretary Jose de Jesus told ABS-CBN News that it spends more than P5 billion a year for MRT operations and maintenance.
"It's not recovering the cost of operations. I think it has to go up. I don't know how much," De Jesus said.
The government is considering increasing the fares, from P15 pesos, to P20 or P25, MRT General Manager Reynaldo Berroya said.
"It will amount to an additional income of around P1 billion per annum," Berroya said.
Transport authorities said the hike is necessary to allow the MRT to recover losses.
The railway line only earns about P1.8 billion a year.
Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Undersecretary Thompson Lantion said that the current fares of the MRT is subsidized by the government.
The government subsidizes fares at an average rate of P45 per passenger, according to Lantion. This means the regular rate, if government support is removed, would have been P60.
Commuters oppose the looming hike, and are asking the Aquino administration to carefully study the matter. Report from Wheng Hidalgo, ABS-CBN News
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libre na po ... hinde pa sila natutuwa. here's why
and correct me if I'm wrong.
"House Deputy Majority Leader Roman Romulo said the amount will translate into a subsidized rate of P47.77 each per commuter"
and since the fare of mrt/lrt ranges from 10 - 15 pesos ( distance-based fare structure) then this translate that the commuters are being paid (free) by 32.77 pesos to ride the mrt. UNBELIEVABLE! 42.77 - 15 = 32.77 PESOS.
Now this is what you call @!$@ and I'm not surprise why people in Visaya's or Mindanao is complaining about this use of taxpayers money, since they're not benefitting the use of LRT/MRT
double-edged sword
Ang problema, pag itinaas ang pamasahe ng MRT, baka wala ng masyadong sasakay - so malulugi pa rin. So mas lalong lalala ang situasyon. Pag hindi naman naapektuhan ang ridership, ang magsa-suffer naman ay mga tao dahil mababawasan na ang kanilang budget. Saan kukuha ang mga tao ng pag-plug ng deficit sa kanilang personal budget? Sa tono naman ng SONA, walang binaggit tungkol sa pasweldo kung rerebisahin ba o hindi.
Yung sinasabing OK lang magtaas ng pamasahe kung i-improve ang services, gaano ba kalaki ang taas ng pamasahe? E kung yung dagdag pasahe e para lang ma-reduce yung subsidy, saan ngayon kukuha ang gobierno ng panggastos to improve the services by providing more coaches and amenities like escalators? Uutang ulit? E di panibagong problema na naman yan!
Fare hike is ok, but service must be improved
Adjusting the fare may be acceptable, given the high losses being encountered. But at the same time, the MRT service must be improved - more coaches to avoid or lessen overcrowding. Also, more frequent trips and longer operating hours. Clean and working restrooms and elevators/escalators. The riding public deserves these for the added pay.
No government can run
No government can run anything at a deficit forever. At some point everyone needs to pay up. The MRT should at the very least break even. Commuters will always oppose any raise. They don't seem to realize that they will pay for the deficit eventually plus interest because the government borrows the money from somewhere else.
funny
nakakatawa yung banat ni penoy about sa MRT. sinasabi nya na ginamit lang pampapogi ni arroyo yung pag subsidiya sa mga rail transit. eh bakit nun senador pa siya bakit hindi siya sumang ayon na mag taas ng pamasahe sa rail system? tapos ngayon sasabihin nya pampa pogi lang ginawa noon ni pandak? eh bakit wala siyang ginawa nuon para matugunan ang pangangalilangan ng rail system? kasi tulog siya o ayaw nya sumakay sa issue na hindi siya babango.
totoong ang kelangan mag subsidiya ang gobyerno para sa rail system dahil pam publiko ito.
oo nga napansin ko ang balit ng media ngayon. kahit yung mga reaction ng minority, hindi agad nababalita. tulad kagabi sa QTV. puro ang sentro eh kay penoy. wala yung facts na ini present ng mga alagad ni pandak.
times have changed
dati : Magparamdam lang na itataas ang pamasahe sa MRT ang Arroyo govt, mabilis pa sa alas cuatro mag-criticize ang opposistion at media, Manghahagilap na agad na mag-interview ang media sa mga naimpluwensyahang tao sa streets para tutulan ang ano mang increase sabay banat sa govt. Starting from estrada and arroyo, govt subsidizes heavily the fares in the service of the filipino and to appease the criticisms and protest of media and opposition to any increase even just a centavo.
Ngayon: Aquino govt suddenly wants to stop the govt subsidy and increase the fare of MRT or better making it profitable. I have yet to see the criticisms of media with the same passion as before.
As Romulo Neri told senator Revilla during a senate hearing before, he does not know a public mass transport being profitable even in other countries. Public Mass tranport normally is being subsidized by the govt as its service to its people and are not meant to profit.
Matagal na sanag tinaas ng kaunti ang pamasahe kundi lang sa mga pagprotesta ng critiko at media before.
2010 National Budget
I want to somehow compare our 2010 budget in the Philippines to one of the projects of the S. Korean government: the 4 River Project. This is highly controversial in their country due to how much it costs and how industrialization could destroy their environment.
Philippine budget for 2010: PhP 1.54 trillion (P1,540,000,000,000). That's equivalent to $33,317,994,100.29. The 4 River Project in S. Korea: $17,300,000,000. And this is just one of their projects. My point: Are we this poor now compared to other countries?
Ano Ang Solusyon?
@ roaring_archer. Hindi naman hanggang 3 proyekto ang kayang suportahan ng budget ng ating pamahalaan sa buong taon. Pero makikita natin kung gaano na tayo naiiwanan ng ibang bansa pagdating sa mga pambansang mga proyekto. Tama sinabi mo na kulang na kulang ang budget natin lalo na kung may national emergency. Kung tutuusin, mas kailangan natin ang proyektong 4 River Project ng S. Korea. Pero makikita natin na ni hindi natin maisip gawan ng pangmatagalang solusyon dahil wala pa tayong pera pangmadaliang magagamit kapag may matinding mga bagyong darating. Me isa pa akong ipaaalala. Ang posibilidad ng isang malaking earthquake dahil sa mga major fault sa ating bansa. Ano na kaya ang mangyayari sa atin pag sabay-sabay mangyari mga natural na matitinding kalamidad na ito?
1.54 trillion pesos will not
1.54 trillion pesos will not be used for just one project. Gagamitin din naman yan pag merong mga fortuitous events. Paano masusuportahan lahat ng mga nasalantang pinoy kung hindi sapat ang budget na kaya lamang gumawa ng isa hanggang tatlong project?
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MRT fare hike is justifiable
I understand the predicament of the thousands of MRT riders. But they should also understand the overall situation of our country. The subsidy spent by the government for the MRT could be spent for other purposes, like subsidy for the poor farmers in the provinces, urban poor. They are really the ones who are in dire need of the help from the government. I believe that in order to be fair, just make the fare of MRT the same as the fare of the buses so that the passengers have the choice on whether to ride the MRT or the bus. With regard to traffic experienced by the buses, then that is what the government needs to address.