Commuters protest MRT-LRT fare hike, dared Aquino to debate

Commuter group Riles Laan sa Sambayanan (RILES Network) challenged President Benigno S. Aquino to a public debate on the MRT-LRT fare hike daring the Chief Executive to personally bare the government’s real motive in increasing fares in front of the aggrieved commuters.

“We challenge President Aquino to a public debate. Let’s see if he can bare, straight in the face of the aggrieved riding public, the government’s hideous reasons for increasing MRT and LRT fares” Sammy Malunes, RILES spokesperson said.

RILES network claimed that there is no need to increase fares in the MRT and LRT as all 3 lines are earning sufficient income, to operate, maintain, improve and even expand the elevated railway systems’ operations and that the increase would only go straight to the pockets of private contractors under onerous agreements.

“This government is lying to its teeth in claiming that the fare hike is inevitable, that it is needed to improve the railways’ services. The only reason the government wants to increase fares is to ensure the superprofits of private contractors and investors as promised under onerous contracts signed by the government at the expense of the riding public” Malunes said.

Malunes cited the statement of DOTC Secretary Joseph Abaya admitting that the estimated P1 billion added annual income from the MRT fare hike will be used to pay the government’s monthly dues to the MRT Corporation under the build-lease-transfer agreement. He also cited that the annual fare hike is a perk given to the Ayalas and Pangilinans under the LRT privatization contract.

photo from the Philippine Collegian.

RILES Network also insisted that MRT and LRT fares should instead be rolled back as power distributors are bound to reduce rates next year following the almost 50% plunge of international crude oil prices since June.

“It is enraging to us commuters that the Aquino government is rushing the fare hike on January when the MRT and LRT’s electricity costs are expected drop just to rake-in bigger revenues. Even enraging is the fact that not a single centavo from these revenues would be spent on easing the hell-like conditions we commuters go through everyday” Malunes said.

The commuter group meanwhile said they will exhaust every possible forms of protest to stop the MRT and LRT fare hikes. They also called on fellow commuters to join protests and maximize even the social media to express their opposition to the fare hike.

“We are calling on the riding public and all Filipinos to speak up and protest against the MRT and LRT fare hike. We will hold bigger protests to stop the fare hike and would use various platforms, even the social media, to expose and oppose the Aquino government’s anti-commuter and anti-people fare hike” Malunes said. ###

Aquino dared to public debate on MRT-LRT fare hike

A commuter’s group is challenging Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino III to a public debate on the MRT-LRT fare hike, saying the chief executive should be able to defend the move before the train systems’ passengers.

The Riles Laan sa Sambayanan (RILES) Network dared Aquino to a public debate on December 29, the last Monday before the fare hike is set to be implemented, regarding whether the move favors the public or not.

“Since he is hell-bent on implementing the move, we dare Pres. Aquino to a public debate on the MRT-LRT fare hike. We dare him to defend the move before the people who will be affected most by this anti-people measure,” said Sammy Malunes, spokesperson of the RILES Network.

The group said the debate should take place at the entrance of the Recto terminal station of the LRT-2 near the Isetann mall, at 7:00 in the morning on December 29, or in any place and at any time that Aquino would set.

“The arguments being put forward by the Aquino government to defend the fare hikes are unreasonable and unacceptable to Filipinos. We believe that the main reason for the move is to ensure the profits of big capitalists who want to own the train systems once these are privatized,” Malunes added.

Malunes criticized the Aquino government’s argument that the fare hike would stop taxpayers in the Visayas and Mindanao from subsidizing the transport systems which benefit only the residents of Metro Manila and Luzon.

“This is nothing but an excuse for privatization and should be rejected. It can be invoked to privatize any and all government services. We would also like to remind the Aquino government that many contractual workers in Metro Manila comes from the Visayas and Mindanao,” Malunes added.

The RILES Network spokesperson also said that Aquino has repeatedly tried to increase fares in the MRT and LRT and should by now be ready to present his arguments in a debate in front of the public.

Commuters’ group holds protest vs. MRT-LRT fare hike

Commuter group Riles Laan sa Sambayanan (RILES) Network trooped to the North Avenue station of the MRT today to protest the increase in MRT and LRT fares which was announced last Saturday.

According to Sammy Malunes, RILES Network spokesperson, “The fare hike’s approval comes like a thief in the night, and is just as unwelcome. The announcement was made at a time when Filipinos are busy preparing for Christmas, when it would be difficult to mount big protests which the move deserves and incites.”

Photo from Manila Today

To show their protest, members of the group showed an image of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III as an “evil Santa Claus,” saying the fare hike is Aquino’s gift of burden to commuters and a gift of assured profits to big capitalists.

“Aquino’s fare hike is a prelude to the privatization of the train systems and is aimed at guaranteeing the profits of big capitalists close to Aquino who are salivating over ownership of the MRT and LRT. It is an added heavy burden for commuters,” said Malunes.

Photo from Manila Today

RILES Network called on fellow commuters to join the protest actions in January next year and to maximize the social media to express their opposition to the fare hike.

“We are calling on the riding public and all Filipinos to speak up and protest this move. Let us prove the Aquino government wrong in thinking that because of the announcement’s timing, this fare hike would not be met by widespread condemnation,” said Malunes.

Malunes also claimed that the Aquino government refused to step into and solve the problems besetting the train systems despite the August 2014 accident in the MRT, because it wants to use problems in train systems’ service to try to justify the hikes.

“For years, the public has successfully prevented this fare hike from being implemented. However, the greed of big capitalists is insatiable and the Aquino government’s subservience to big capitalists knows no bounds. Let us intensify our protests!” said Malunes.

RILES Network vowed to hold more protest actions in January, saying that the riding public is determined to stop the MRT-LRT fare hike.

Photo from Manila Today

Photo from Manila Today

We reject the MRT-LRT fare hike!

The Riles Laan sa Sambayanan (RILES) Network condemns Pres. Noynoy Aquino over yesterday’s announcement by the Department of Transportation and Communications of fare hikes for the MRT, LRT1 and LRT 2 that will be effective starting January 4.

The fare hike’s approval comes like a thief in the night, and is just as unwelcome. The announcement was made at a time when Filipinos are busy preparing for Christmas, when it would be difficult to mount big protests which the move deserves and incites.

We are calling on the riding public and all Filipinos to speak up and protest this move. Let us prove the Aquino government wrong in thinking that because of the announcement’s timing, this fare hike would not be met by widespread condemnation.

Let us maximize social media to express our opposition, even as we vow to immediately hold protests against this action. We are calling on the public to join bigger protests next year against the move. Aquino, the Grinch, deserves our condemnation.

We reiterate: this move is a prelude to the privatization of the train systems and is aimed at guaranteeing the profits of big capitalists close to Aquino who are salivating over ownership of the MRT and LRT. It is an added heavy burden for commuters.

The fare hike not only erases the “pogi points” which the government earned by ordering a rollback in jeepney fares, it will fan the public’s anger towards the Aquino government which has not stopped price hikes and increased workers’ wages.

It is now clear to us why the Aquino government refused to step into and solve the problems besetting the train systems, despite the August 2014 accident in the MRT. It has been allowing the problems to thrive all along in ordert to try to justify the hikes!

For years, the public has successfully prevented this fare hike from being implemented. However, the greed of big capitalists is insatiable and the Aquino government’s subservience to big capitalists knows no bounds. Let us intensify our protests!