Youth and progressive groups protested the Marcos regime’s permission to increase the minimum fare on the LRT and MRT by ₱5, from ₱15 to ₱20. The groups gathered at the LRT station in Doroteo Jose on February 19.

The fare increase will be implemented on April 2, in accordance with the petition of Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), the private corporation running LRT1. This is its second increase under the Marcos regime.

The fare increase was permitted despite objections from commuters.

“Students and workers who are the primary passengers of the LRT-1 bear the burden of these fare increases,” Anakbayan stated. This adds to the hardship of students who are already struggling with high tuition and education expenses.

“There is no truth to the government’s claim that privatizing public services like transportation will improve service quality. Since LRT entered into PPP, only the commuters’ fares and corporate profits have increased,” according to the group.

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan also condemned the fare increase, which it had previously called anti-poor and anti-commuter. It condemned the Marcos regime for not reviewing and scrapping the anomalous privatization contract.

“Every two years there’s a guaranteed fare increase. Is that reasonable?” asked Renato Reyes of Bayan. “We can really expect nothing from this government.”