EDITORIAL - Value for money

The fare increase in the Metro Rail and Light Rail Transit systems is long overdue, Malacañang said yesterday. The argument may be valid, considering that MRT and LRT fares have remained unchanged and heavily subsidized for many years now as mass transport fares became a politically sensitive issue in the past.

Today it seems President Aquino, whose popularity remains high in his fifth year, is prepared to take the backlash. The fares will go up effective Jan. 4, the government announced last week.

Commuters have no choice but to pay more, but the public will inevitably expect the higher fares to translate into better service. The government must be ready to provide this, and to minimize the glitches that have bedeviled the MRT and LRT services throughout the year.

Improving service must include resolving the corruption scandals that appear to be linked to the regular breakdowns and poor maintenance in the MRT. President Aquino, who professes to tread the straight path, cannot sit forever on the recommendations of the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation in connection with its probe into allegations of extortion hurled by a Czech train supplier against a group that includes former MRT chief Al Vitangcol. The President cannot sweep the case under the rug.

A separate probe has been initiated by the Office of the Ombudsman against the former MRT chief and executives of a lucky startup, among them a relative of Vitangcol. The startup, whose capitalization was ridiculously small for the service required, partnered with another company that bagged a lucrative maintenance contract for the MRT. Considering the numerous breakdowns in the MRT in the past months, probers must determine exactly what kind of maintenance work was done that warranted millions in public funds as payment.

Palace officials said yesterday that MRT and LRT fares should be the same as air-conditioned bus rates. There will be grumbling from commuters, but ultimately they won’t mind paying, as long as they get value for their money and they are assured that no corruption is involved.