THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Monday the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 is “set to refile its petition for a fare adjustment” before the Rail Regulatory Unit (RRU).
This, after the original petition was “deferred” due to “infirmities in complying with the requirements and procedure,” Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Cesar Chavez said.
He noted that it has been “eight years” since the MRT 3 last had a fare adjustment.
According to Transportation Assistant Secretary for Railways and MRT 3 Officer-in-Charge Jorjette Aquino, the management is asking for an P2.29 increase in minimum fare to P13.29 and 21-centavo hike per kilometer charge to P1.29.
Currently, the MRT 3 charges P11 as boarding fare and P1 for every kilometer traveled. The present minimum fare is set at P13 and the maximum is at P28.
The government last month announced the fare adjustments to the fares on the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2.
According to the memorandum, Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), the operator of LRT 1, was allowed to charge a minimum of P13 and a maximum of P35 for stored value cards (SVCs) and a minimum of P15 and a maximum of P35 for single journey tickets (SJTs).
Meanwhile, Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), which operates LRT 2, was allowed to charge a minimum fare of P13 and a maximum of P33 for SVCs; while fares for SJT shall range from P15 to P35.
In explaining the approval of the rate adjustments, the DOTr said the LRTA’s deficit for 2023 is projected to be less than P8.5 billion, noting that it has been operating at a loss and relying on government subsidies for its operations and maintenance, as reflected in its financial performance in 2022 when it incurred a deficit of about P7 billion.
LRT 1 last implemented a fare increase in 2015.
On the part of LRMC, its fare deficit vis-à-vis the notional fare prescribed in its concession agreement with the government is P1.46 billion. As of January 2023, LRMC’s actual fare is 50 percent behind the notional fares, a gap that “will exponentially increase.”
Since 2016, LRMC has filed four petitions for a rate increase. But these were all deferred.