Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary for Planning and Project Development Timothy John Batan revealed the agency’s plan to adjust the fare of the MRT 3 by next year. This comes after the fare increase of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 and Line 2 (LRT 1 and LRT 2) in August of this year.
DOTr – MRT 3 Fare Hike
The proposed fare increase, according to Batan, will match the fare adjustments of the LRT 1 and LRT 2 – PHP 2.29 boarding fare and PHP 0.21 per kilometer.
If implemented, this means that the minimum fare of the MRT 3 will go from the current PHP 13 to PHP 16. Meanwhile, if you’re riding from Taft Avenue to North Avenue or vice-versa, you’ll now have to spend PHP 34 from PHP 28.
What wasn’t revealed though was when the fare adjustment will be implemented, but the agency is looking at sometime in 2024 to introduce the new prices.
“We will make an announcement on its effectivity. The public will just have to wait. Our target is not to implement it immediately. We will issue an advance notice to all the passengers so they will not be surprised with the adjusted fares,” Batan said in a statement.
Why the MRT 3 Fare Hike?
The undersecretary says that the proposed hike is “based on maintenance and operations cost and to reduce government subsidy”. Last July, the DOTr refiled its petition for the MRT 3 fare hike but it was disapproved due to failing to issue a notice of public hearing on time.
According to the department, currently, the actual fare for a passenger riding end-to-end is PHP 115, meaning the government shoulders PHP 87 per end-to-end passenger per ride.
The agency is also looking at options for the privatization of the MRT 3 once its build-lease-transfer contract with the Metro Rail Transit Corp. runs out in 2025.
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