SC asked to stop LRT, MRT fare hike

By Tetch Torres-Tupas
12:40 PM | Monday, January 5th, 2015
Source: INQUIRER.net

MANILA, PhilippinesThe militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) on Monday led a

petition filed in the Supreme Court to stop the fare increases in the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and
Metro Rail Transit (MRT).
In a 58-page petition, the group asked the high court to issue a temporary restraining order and/or
a status quo ante against the fare increase.
The petition also asked the high court to nullify the order of Transportation Secretary Joseph
Emilio Abaya authorizing the fare increase.
Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said Abaya has no authority to allow the fare increase as
the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) does not have the similar
authority as that of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), which
approves fare increases and rollbacks.
Reyes added that the LRTA Board resolution and the MRT3 office recommendations, which was
used as basis for the increase, were neither published nor presented in any public consultations.
The fare hike is without legal basis. The DOTC and its secretary cannot be the fare hike
proponent, approving body and implementor all at the same time, Reyes said.
The fare hike cannot be valid without a proper public hearing where the proponents present all
the basis for the fare hike and the public is given the opportunity to oppose it, he added.
Aside from Bayan, the other petitioners are activist and former lawmaker Teodoro Casio,
former LRTA administrator Melquiades Robles, KMU chair Elmer Labog, Riles Network
spokesman Sammy Malunes and Courage chair Ferdinand Gaite.
Anakbayan chair Vencer Crisostomo, Alliance of Health Workers president Jossel Ebesate,
Kadamay chair Gloria Arellano, businessman Herman Tiu Laurel and Myrleon Peralta also
joined the petition, as well as SSS union president Amorsolo Competente, commuter advocate
Elvira Medina, commuters Maria Donna Grey Miranda and Angelo Villanueva Suarez of Tren,
labor leaders Jose Sonny Matula of the FFW and David Diwa of NLU, journalist James Bernard
Relativo of Tren and Giovanni Tapang of Agham.
Former Congressman Augusto Syjuco also filed a separate petition in the Supreme Court to stop
the fare hike.

The controversial LRT and MRT fare hike is indeed unconscionable for having neither proper
presentation nor consultation from the public; clearly, this is a violation of our right. As stated in
our constitution, particularly in Article II, Section 1, ...sovereignty resides in its people and all
governmental authority emanates from them, indeed the public cannot be disregarded in any
matters, issues, and concerns of any governmental instrumentalities. The actions of Department
of Transportation and Communication, the LRT Board and MRT-3 regarding the fare hike were
illegal and without due process, in addition, they cannot invoke their authority to approve such
matters, since LRT and MRT are public utilities, therefore, the rates should be approved by an
appropriate quasi-judicial bodies.

On the other hand, there are some commuters that were convinced of the necessity of the fare
hike issue; it seems that they were misled by the recent dilemma and physical condition of our
trains. In my opinion, there has been a fallacy regarding these controversy, fare hike is not
necessary to rehabilitate and upgrade the systems of LRT and MRT because the 2015 budget,
which was recently signed by the president, already allocated P7.4 billion for the train systems
rehabilitation and another P4.65 billion for its subsidy, in addition is the 2014 supplemental
budget amounting to P1.2 billion and P727.6 million which was allocated for the same purpose.
Given the said figures, LRT and MRT clearly had already secured enough funds from the
government to pursue its planned rehabilitation and upgrading plans.

I strongly agree with the militants who were continuously fighting for the right of every
commuters to have our fair share from the governments budget allocated for such rehabilitation
of our trains, it is just, since these budget came from the hard work earnings of every Filipino.
Second, justice must be served to the public, corruption and grave abuse of authority must not be
tolerated and what is left for us to do, is to elevate such matters to the Supreme Court, with high
hopes of a favourable final and executory decision.