New year, new headache: Metro Manila’s working class braces for another fare hike. With stagnant wages and rising costs, Light Rail Transit Line-1 commuters face an uphill battle for affordable transportation. This latest proposal reinforces the ongoing struggle between privatization’s promises and its harsh reality for daily wage earners.
Just this week the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) submitted a fare hike proposal to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to increase fares on the Light Rail Transit Line 1, which has ignited significant concern among Metro Manila’s working class and students reliant on the line. Under the proposal, single-journey ticket fares could rise from a maximum of ₱45 to ₱60. At the same time, stored value card users might see fares increase from ₱43 to ₱58 for end-to-end trips going from Fernando Poe Jr. Station in Quezon City to Dr. A. Santos Station in Paranaque City.
In the eye of a daily commuter, particularly minimum-wage earners, this fare hike represents a massive financial burden. An additional ₱10 per trip translates to an extra ₱400 monthly. To take this into perspective the average minimum-wage earner working in Metro Manila makes roughly around ₱13,595 - ₱19,350 per month, and to add an extra ₱400 will undeniably be disadvantageous to consumers—as that amount is not just their fare. On average if the fare hike is approved, end-to-end trips can cost a range of ₱1260 - ₱1800. LRT commuters also use different modes of transportation, further increasing their travel costs.
With wages remaining relatively stagnant and inflation fluctuating over the past year, the LRT proposed fare increases would only exacerbate the already present economic strain on workers striving to make ends meet.
Different Advocacy groups like Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) have criticized the forthcoming fare hike, labeling it as unjust and detrimental to the public. BAYAN argues under the provisions of the privatization contract of the LRMC, which grants permission to hike fares regularly, regardless of the current situation of the commuter. This only reflects the dismal state of our private companies handling basic needs, contemplating the price hike for the smallest of reasons, without accounting for the state of the commuter.
However, the LRMC justifies service improvements such as reduced headway times and enhanced system reliability as a reason for the fare increase; these enhancements may not sufficiently offset the financial impact on daily commuters. Reduced headway times should’ve been a priority by the LRMC, as the line gets cramped like a can of sardines in peak hours across the day. The argument that passengers will inevitably accept fare increases in exchange for better services, does not reflect the sentiments of those for whom even a modest fare hike can mean choosing between transportation and other essential needs.
In addition, the timing of the proposed increase, coming shortly after a previous fare adjustment in August 2023, raises questions about the frequency and necessity of such hikes. The cumulative effect of successive increases within a short period can erode the disposable income of workers, undermining their quality of life and economic stability.
In defense of the fare hike, the LRMC points to a growing fare deficit, reportedly amounting to around ₱3 billion as of the end of 2023. They argue that without the proposed increase, future phases of the Cavite Extension project could be jeopardized, potentially stalling infrastructure developments aimed at improving the commuter experience.
However, this rationale places the financial burden of systemic deficits and expansion projects squarely on the shoulders of commuters, rather than exploring alternative funding mechanisms that do not disproportionately affect the working class. Perhaps, this is yet another offspring of the horrid 2025 National Budget, which slashed ₱194 Billion.
But a question brews, why not reprogram a part of the budget into the LRMC, instead of throwing the massive burden onto the commuters reliant on the LRT? The additional fare a month represents a blatant disregard for the working class, as the LRMC instead of lobbying the government to give them additional funding thrust that responsibility onto the working class.
While this proposal will undergo a public hearing, the point remains. This fare hike is against the working class, already faced with unbearable financial challenges, a fare hike seeks to exacerbate it. Instead of seeking a more equitable approach that involves stakeholder consultations to explore funding solutions that balance operational sustainability with the economic realities of daily commuters, they instead thought of alienating the working class using an unfair fare increase.
Clearly, this whole fare hike fiasco reminds us how ruthless privatization is—how tone-deaf it is towards the working class—and that a poor national budget decision can lead to an unrelenting series of unfortunate events.
Article: Kyan Miguel A. San Agustin
Graphics: Emar Lorenz Samar
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