MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Grace Poe on Wednesday urged the Department of Transportation and the Light Rail Transit Authority board of directors to consider delaying or effect a staggered implementation of any fare increase in one of the country’s mass transit systems.
The chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services said this is to soften the blow of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act on the public.
“[This is to] soften the impact on poor commuters who have been hit by the adverse effect of the TRAIN law to their shallow pockets,” Poe said.
She added: “This could be considered while the discussions on suspending some portions of the TRAIN law are ongoing.”
The tax reform law has been blamed for the recent jump in prices of basic goods and services, with some legislators saying that Congress might “suspend” the TRAIN law “if the trend continues to breach the inflation threshold.”
READ: Senate starts probe on TRAIN’s ill effects
Light Rail Manila Corp., the operator of the Light Rail Transit Line 1, announced Tuesday that it had filed a petition to increase its fares by an average of P5 to P7 last March.
If greenlighted, the fare hike would be implemented by August this year.
LRT-1 commuters pay P15 to P30 at present.
Based on government data, LRT-1 carries an average of 500,000 commuters on weekdays.
It has 20 stations from Roosevelt Station in Quezon City to Baclaran Station in Parañaque City.
The line is expected to extend to Bacoor, Cavite.
READ: LRT seeks up to P7 fare hike