We are disgusted that despite the declaration of a state of national calamity over the country, the Aquino government still callously insist on pushing the a fare hikes in the MRT and LRT.
We believe that the “public consultation” called for by the Department of Transportation and Communications on Dec. 12 would be the announcement of the planned fare hike.
This push for a fare hike, which comes in the wake of significant increases in the price of LPG and other petroleum products and proposals for a record-high power rate hike by Meralco, is part of the economic disaster that the Aquino government is cooking up against the majority of Filipinos.
For years, the public has been successful in blocking fare hikes in the MRT and LRT through various protests both in the streets and online. We vow to continue and intensify these protests against this renewed push for a fare hike.
We reiterate our basic stand: A fare hike in the MRT and LRT will not be used to improve the service being provided by the train systems. It will go to the big capitalist profits and big bank interests that are guaranteed by the contracts for the train system’s construction and maintenance.
The onerous contracts entered into by the government for the train systems’ construction and maintenance are the reasons why the MRT and LRT have to increase fares even as these train systems are swamped by passengers all the time.
We therefore say: No to MRT-LRT fare hike! Junk onerous contracts for the MRT and LRT! Government takeover of the MRT and LRT now! We therefore call on the public: Intensify our protests against the Aquino government’s push for a fare hike in the MRT and LRT! ###
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