The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) on Thursday said there will be no fare increase at the LRT Line 1 despite the request of the rail system’s private operator.
Hernando T. Cabrera, LRTA administrator, said the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) filed a request to increase the boarding fare by P5 and P1.50 additional fare for every kilometer.
LRT-1 passengers are currently paying P30 on a trip going to Baclaran in Paranaque City from Roosevelt in Quezon City.
Cabrera, however, clarified that there would be no immediate fare increase as the government is still studying and evaluating the request for a fare increase of LRMC.
“The increase is not automatic, we’re still studying it and we have to evaluate everything,” he added.
Jacqueline Gorospe, head of LRMC corporate communications, said the company wrote the government last April for the request for a fare adjustment this year as provided in the concession agreement.
“LRMC has not received any official notice yet from our government regulators about the additional fees. But we will implement whatever will be approved,” Gorospe said.
“Our concession agreement allows for fare adjustment every two years. Our last request was made in April 2022,” she added.
The LRMC earlier filed a request for arbitration with the International Chamber of Commerce over its disputes with the Department of Transportation and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) for failure to grant a fare increase for 2016, 2018, and 2020.
The company was asking for about P2.67 billion in compensation due to the delays in the implementation of fare adjustments.
The LRMC said the claims included the losses, costs, and expenses incurred by the company for the government’s failure to deliver to the LRMC the required number of light rail vehicles that meet the stipulated technical requirements under the contract.
It also cited the structural defects on the existing LRT 1 system, both of which are required to ensure that the LRMC can provide a safe, efficient, and reliable service to the public as required under the CA.