The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) said that The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) price fare hikes for LRT-1 and LRT-2 lines are not yet final.
The LRT’s current fare is P1.00 per kilometer, plus an P11.00 boarding fee. The proposed increase is an additional P0.21 per kilometer, as well as an additional P2.29 for the boarding fee. This makes up a P1.21 distance fee and a total of P13.29 boarding fee.
LRTA Administrator Hernando Cabrera explained on Thursday that LTFRB’s approval doesn’t automatically mean that the fare hike is final. Rather, LTFRB is only approving as one of the LRTA board members.
The LRTA Board of Directors is led by the secretary of the Department of Transportation. Other board members include secretaries of DPWH, Department of Budget and Management, National Economic Development Authority, DOF, as well as the chairpersons of the Metro Manila Development Authority, and a member of the private sector.
Once the fare hike is approved by the majority of board members, it will still undergo a regulatory process which includes public consultations and hearings.
Before the holidays, LRT-2 saw around 159,000 riders a day; this number is even higher than pre-pandemic ridership. At the beginning of 2023, LRT-2 saw only 130,000 riders daily.