Urban poor group Kadamay questioned the priorities of the Marcos Jr administration over the planned LRT 1, LRT 2, and MRT 3 fare increases in a time when the value of real wages continue to plummet in line with record-high inflation.
“Yung P9 na magiging dagdag gastusin ng manggagawang komyuter sa isang araw, katumbas na ng haos isang kilong bigas na titipirin sa anim na araw na pagko-komyut papasok at pauwi mula trabaho,” said Mimi Doringo, Kadamay Secretary General.
The Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) 2018 reveals that transportation accounts for as much as 6.6% of expenditures of Metro Manila families which is the fifth biggest expenditure after food, housing, utilities, and miscellaneous goods.
“Matagal nang nananawagan ang mamamayan para sa dagdag sahod. Yung mga panukalang batas para sa pagpapataas ng sahod, walang usad sa kongreso pero tahasang hinahayaan ng mga awtoridad na tumaas ang singil sa mga gastusin ng mamamayan,” added Doringo.
According to Kadamay, public mass transport should be affordable for the majority of the population, especially to the urban poor and low-wage workers whose daily incomes rely on getting to their workplaces through accessible public transport.
Restricting the mobility of the poor through arbitrary fare increases, the group added, is a direct attack on their livelihoods, especially in a time of record-high inflation driven by skyrocketing food prices.
“Kailangang tanganan ng gobyerno ang responsibilidad nitong panatilihing serbisyo-publiko at abot-kaya ang pampublikong transportasyon sa mga mahihirap. Iresponsable na nga ang walang humpay nilang pribatisasyon ng mga public utilities, hindi pa nila magawa ang trabaho nilang i-regulate ang presyo ng pamasahe,” said Doringo.
