00:00 Notice to commuters the Metro Rail Transit or MRT Line 3 is eyeing to implement fare hike next year.
00:07 Let's find out how much in the support by Karen Villada.
00:11 The MRT 3 is set to have a fare hike next year.
00:16 This after the current minimum fare of 13 pesos is under proposal to be raised to 16 pesos.
00:22 While an additional 6 pesos will be added to the end-to-end trip fare of the railway line.
00:28 Thus the current 28 pesos fare from North Avenue to Taft Avenue station may increase to 34 pesos.
00:34 If approved this would be the first fare hike for the train after 80 years.
00:39 The management said the trains earnings can no longer suffice to cover its operation cost.
00:44 Despite the increase in ridership and revenue, we still have around 6.2 billion pesos deficit.
00:56 What does this mean?
00:59 The fare for each passenger of MRT 3 end-to-end, meaning North Avenue to Taft Avenue, should be 69 pesos.
01:14 The fare for each passenger is 28 pesos, so this is 41 pesos less per passenger.
01:26 The management explains this will be used for the maintenance and additional operating expenses of the train.
01:32 It will also allow the addition of 4 train cars to the MRT 3 line to increase ridership.
01:39 In addition, this move will lower the subsidy requested by the MRT 3 from the government.
01:44 If we can increase the fare, the subsidy we are asking for will be lower.
01:53 So this will be used for other projects that can benefit our fellow Filipinos.
02:02 Train passengers have different opinions on the proposed fare hike.
02:06 If we increase the fare to 3 pesos, I think it will be low compared to the current state of the stations.
02:19 In the land traffic, the trip will be more swift.
02:23 You will be able to go to your destination faster and be more productive for the entire day.
02:30 The fare should be increased because people are having a hard time.
02:36 The fare of 13 pesos is higher, so it should be lowered.
02:40 It is very difficult to get a massage every day.
02:44 There is no money to be made if the fare is like this.
02:48 It is an advance in the policy of the government.
02:53 So we will just support it.
02:56 This has not yet been approved by the Rail Regulatory Unit.
03:00 But the train management is set to file a second petition this week after their first petition was not approved in January due to technicalities.
03:09 The MRT 3 is confident their proposed fare increase will be approved, especially since NEDA and the LTFRB have commented on their petition.
03:18 So give or take 3 months. So our expectation is maybe the end of the first quarter or beginning of the second quarter of next year.
03:28 So maybe the end of March or beginning of April.
03:31 Karen Vallenda for the nation.
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