đź“·Bayan Muna | FB
Former House Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Congressman Carlos Isagani Zarate today criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s failure to stop the impending LRT fare hike despite worsening hunger among the already overburdened Filipinos, calling it a “clear demonstration of the administration’s skewed priorities.”
“President Marcos is hiding behind onerous contracts to justify his inaction on the LRT fare hike while millions of Filipinos go hungry. This is very callous and unconscionable,” Zarate said.
The former lawmaker cited the latest SWS survey showing that 27.2% Filipino families are experiencing hunger amid rising costs of basic goods, with the latest surveys indicating increasing food insecurity across the country.
“The administration claims its hands are tied by contracts with private operators. But who signed these onerous contracts in the first place? It’s the government’s responsibility to protect public interest first, not corporate profits,” Zarate emphasized.
“Kontra mamamayang kontrata ba ang mas mahalaga kaysa sa mga Pilipinong nagugutom? Kailan pa naging mas importante ang interes ng malalaking korporasyon kaysa sa kapakanan ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan?” he added.
The fare hike, scheduled for implementation on April 2, will increase maximum single journey fares from P45 to P55 and minimum fares from P15 to P20, directly impacting workers who rely on the LRT for daily commutes.
“Each peso matters to ordinary workers. This P5-P10 increase means less food on the table for families already struggling to make ends meet,” Zarate pointed out. “Ang bawat piso na itinaas sa pamasahe ay pagkain na kinukuha mula sa bibig ng mga pamilyang Pilipino.”
Bayan Muna joins other progressive groups in demanding the immediate suspension of the fare hike and urges the administration to prioritize the welfare of the Filipino people over contractual obligations to private corporations.
“We challenge President Marcos to show political will in defending the interests of ordinary Filipinos. Hindi na dapat ipatupad sa Abril 2 ang implementasyon ng pagtaas ng pamasahe. Ipatigil ito ngayon din,” Zarate concluded. #
