The officials of the Manila Metro Rail Transit System (MRT) and the Manila Light Rail Transit System (LRT) have been constantly pursuing the fare increase since Pres. Noynoy Aquino stepped in the Palace. They have been telling the public that the fare increase is very much needed because maintenance costs are increasing as well. Taena!
What's worst, the Palace is A-OK with the fare increase! Well, it should not be surprising that the Palace won't consider the common commuter's daily transportation budget because they ride in Porsche! However, "the eligible bachelor" sold it due to some security reasons. Ows?
The Lame Reasons
- The two LRT lines will be charged higher rates to cover the rising price of electricity and other costs needed to run the trains.
- The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said that the much-needed fare hike will help the government improve the LRT and MRT operations and will help increase the capacity of the overcrowded train lines.
- The MRT's operational costs and government subsidies are growing. The new government's policy is to reduce these subsidies.
- The real cost of transporting a passenger on the train may go as high as P60. The difference, is shouldered by the national government, or taxpayers, including those who live outside Metro Manila.
- In his first State of the Nation Address, President Aquino said ordinary tax payers have been forced to foot the bill of the rising costs of running the trains because of the GMA administration's refusal to hike fares
MY UTOPIA TODAY
I believe that the problems with the increasing maintenance and operational costs can be reduced even without spending a single peso. I really believe that the government, specifically the officials of DOTC, LRT and MRT, should consider to provide better train services first before the fare hike - not the other way around.
I have been riding the MRT and LRT ever since I was in my high school days. Our residential move from Manila to Cainta, Rizal in the late 90's have made me a young commuter. My siblings and I are all studying in the busy Ermita district, where Adamson University and UP Manila are located, and since we don't own a car, we commute everyday. We did have a car, 3 or 4 years later, but still, we commute when it is down for repairs or due to the number coding. There is no MRT yet when we were just new in Cainta, but LRT is existing since the world began! And we don't care about the LRT because there are no practical routes from our house to the existing LRT terminals. That is until the MRT commenced operations in EDSA.
My favorite mode of commute is via the MRT and LRT. Before the existence of MRT, we have to traverse the traffic-cursed streets of Shaw Blvd. (Pasig City to Mandaluyong City), Magsaysay Blvd. and Legarda St. (both in Manila), before we arrive at school or at home. But when the MRT landed from heaven, our daily 2-hour traffic hell experiences were cut by at least 30 minutes! That is a very huge improvement on our travel time, especially that it meant additional bed time as well! Now that I am working, I am still a very huge fan of the MRT and LRT lines, even though the incidents of suspended/stranded operations due to technical problems have been frequent.
MY UTOPIA #1: Enforce new rules/regulations that will encourage safety and orderliness!
There are existing rules in the MRT and LRT today: No pets, no foods, no guns, no bombs, no knives, no littering, no smoking etc. There is also the gender separation rules and the senior citizen lanes, which are very good. However, I think LRT and MRT should also consider new rules. Here are my suggestions:
- No Sandos/Sleeveless Shirts Allowed - Does anyone here want to kiss a stranger's armpit? I believe that the MRT and LRT should have a little dress code that will ensure that no passenger will ever have to smell, kiss, get near or even get a sight of a stranger's woolly armpit when the trains are fully loaded of standing passengers.
- No Tsinelas/Shoes or Sandals with Open Toes Allowed - Just for safety reasons. There are many times that I have seen people step on other's foot inside a very crowded MRT train. Having footwear with closed toes will help reduce the pain or the risk of injuries. It also helps to contain those strange smelly feet!
- No Big Bags Allowed - There are commuters who ride the MRT/LRT with mountaineering bags, large suitcases and travelling bags. They must be executed! First of all, these bags are very inconvenient to carry - they make their carriers move slow because they are heavy. Second, these bags are nuisances while on the line for inspection! They require special attention to security, more detailed inspection and additional brisking which causes the queue to stop. Third, these bags are too tough and hard that my cause injury while inside the train. And lastly, but most importantly, these bags occupy too much space! The carrier/passenger of these bags paid only with one ticket but they occupy the space of at least two people.
MY UTOPIA #2: Sell prepaid cards commercially!
I can't think why the LRT and MRT haven't thought of selling the prepaid cards like how the mobile load cards were being sold. The existing prepaid train cards, worth Php 100, have much longer expiration than the regular train tickets. If the prepaid cellphone cards, with expiration as much as the prepaid train cards were sold commercially to the public, why can't it be possible for LRT/MRT cards? Imagine if you will be able to buy your prepaid ticket to any 7-11 or Ministop stores! Commuters will be able to buy tickets 24/7. Imagine also if you can buy tickets through Ticketnet! Commuters will be able to buy tickets even on the phone or on the Internet! The express lanes of every train terminals will be express lanes talaga!
While this suggestion may mean to give commissions to the commercial ticket vendor, that will be a very small amount to lose compared to the amount of ticket sales to gain. More sold tickets, more money to pay for the maintenance and operational costs. Mas convenient pa sa mga pasahero.
MY UTOPIA #3: Use the advertising spaces wisely!
There are many outdated advertisements existing in the train terminals. Are the advertising contracts for the advertising spaces incurred still alive? If not, then its time to sell those spaces to other advertisers. If the advertising contracts are still alive, recommend the obsolete and damaged ads to be pulled out. I have seen many movie posters inside the terminals that were NOW SHOWING and COMING SOON but were actually shown in the cinema years ago. There are some posters as well as old as my son!
There were also advertisements inside and outside the train physique, and they were all nice and updated. But the advertisements in the terminals are all terrible. Please review because the government is losing income from these unwisely used ad spaces.
OMEGA
As of now, these are just some of my economical suggestions that will provide better train services and lessen the operational and maintenance costs of the LRT and MRT systems. My utopias does even give higher income expectations. I hope my utopias will reach the officials' table and they should stop making lame excuses. If at least these utopias were made real, then I think, the government may have the right to consider the fare hike.
