Commuters riding the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) could face higher fares this year if the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) petition is approved by transportation authorities.
LRMC spokesperson Jackie Gorospe confirmed the company’s fare hike request, noting that it is part of the regular fare adjustment process. “Yes, we are confirming that we submitted a petition as part of the periodic fare adjustment process.”
A public hearing on the fare increase will take place on January 9, hosted by the Rail Regulatory Unit of the Department of Transportation (DOTr). Further details about the petition will be disclosed at the hearing, Gorospe added.
The fare increase proposal is based on the 2024 fare application filed by LRMC last year, which follows an earlier submission from 2022. In 2023, the DOTr approved an increase for both LRT-1 and LRT-2, raising the minimum fare from P11 to P13.29 and hiking the per-kilometer rate from P1 to P1.21.
The LRMC has submitted petitions for fare hikes in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022, though all were deferred. Under its contract, the company can request fare adjustments of at least 10.25% every two years.
Militant group Bayan has voiced strong opposition to the proposed increase. In a statement, Bayan criticized the petition, claiming it could result in an average fare hike of P7.48 per passenger.
The group singled out higher fare hikes for short-distance and mid-distance commuters, with increases of P6.02 for passengers traveling between five and 16 kilometers, and P8.65 for those traveling five kilometers or less. Long-distance passengers could see an average increase of P12.50.
Should the petition be approved, the maximum fare of P45 could rise to P60 for a single journey ticket.
Bayan has urged commuters to register their opposition to the hike and hold the Marcos administration accountable for any fare increase.