Bayan Muna nominee and former Rep. Carlos Ysagani Zarate called on Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to “moderate the greed” of capitalists and oligarchs as their incessant drive for super profits are burdening ordinary Filipinos no end.
On the first day of the implementation of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) fare increases today, Zarate criticized Marcos for allowing the new hike ranging from PhP5 to PhP10 more per trip.
Zarate questioned the logic of passing the financial burden onto commuters for LRT-1’s extension to Cavite under a Public-Private Partnership contract amid escalating economic challenges.
LRT 1 is owned by the Light Rail Transit Authority, a government corporation, but operated by the Light Rail Manila Corporation, a private consortium dominated by names such as billionaires Manuel Pangilinan, the Ayalas and the Gokongweis.
In a briefing at Malacanang Palace on Monday, presidential communications undersecretary Claire Castro justified the increase as a simple contractual obligation.
“The [Marcos] administration wants this to be discontinued, but that [fare increase] is what the contract states,” she said.
Bayan Muna however disagrees it should be the commuters who should pay the burden of increased train fares.
“Why should commuters bear the costs of the line extension? Wasn’t it the private sector that committed investment in the first place?” Zarate fumed.
“As for financial necessity, why was this not part of the LRMC’s fare hike petition? They simply cited a very onerous contractual obligation to unjustly raise fares,” he added.
The fare increase, effective today, raises maximum single journey fares from P45 to P55 and minimum fares from P15 to P20.
Majority of LRT commuters are low-wage earners.
“With each peso added to the fare, ordinary workers are deprived of essential resources. This P5-P10 hike translates to less food on the table for families already struggling to survive,” Zarate emphasized.
“Every peso added to the fare is a meal taken away from the mouths of Filipino families, especially the children,” the former legislator added.
Bayan Muna led a protest action at LRT’s Monumento station last Tuesday, the eve of the implementation of the latest fare hike.
It said it joins other commuters and concerned groups in demanding the immediate suspension of the fare hike and urges the administration to prioritize the welfare of Filipino commuters over contractual obligations to private entities.
“President Marcos, Jr. should moderate the greed of his capitalist and oligarch friends’ and instead exhibit genuine concern for the plight of ordinary Filipinos. The implementation of the fare hike should have been halted today. Stop it now,” Zarate said.
“Sa bawat karagdagang pasanin sa ating mga commuters, mas lumalalim ang paghihirap na dinaranas ng ating mga kababayan. Hindi tama na ang gastos ay ililipat sa mga ordinaryong mamamayan habang ang malalaking kumpanya ay limpak-limpak naman ang kinikita,” he added. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
