đź“·: Presidential Communications Office | FB
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) has called on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the First Family, and Department of Transportation (DOTr) officials to experience the realities of the daily commute by riding the MRT and LRT during rush hour.
On Sunday morning, President Marcos, accompanied by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, Rep. Sandro Marcos, and DOTr Secretary Vince Hizon, boarded the MRT-3 at North Avenue Station to assess the line and its train cars. KMP emphasized the struggles of commuters, stating,“Sabi nga ng mga commuter na sumasakay sa MRT, LRT at EDSA, sasakay kang manggagawa, lalabas kang mandirigma—dahil parang labanan ang araw-araw na pagko-commute para makapasok sa trabaho at paaralan.”
“Pwede rin subukan ng Pangulo na mag-commute sa MRT, LRT at EDSA bukas, Lunes,” the group urged Marcos Jr.
KMP Chairperson Danilo Ramos emphasized that if President Marcos wants to fully understand the hardships faced by Filipinos, he must witness firsthand the congestion, long queues, and struggles with nighttime commutes. “
“Hindi sapat ang mga plano at papogi—kailangan nilang makita at maramdaman ang reyalidad,” Ramos asserted.
Despite the MRT extending its operation hours by one hour starting March 2025, overcrowding remains an issue, particularly during peak hours.
Many passengers endure long waits or squeeze into packed train cars, raising health and safety concerns.
Additionally, in April, the LRT-1 implemented a fare hike, increasing its minimum fare by ₱5.00 and its maximum fare by ₱10.00, impacting around 370,000 commuters.
The Marcos Jr. administration approved the fare increase under the Light Rail Manila Corporation’s management, with rates set to rise by 10.25% every two years until 2046, bringing the current maximum fare on LRT-1 to ₱55. (ZIA LUNA)
Meanwhile, data from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) indicates that Metro Manila’s economy suffers losses of up to ₱3.5 billion daily due to traffic congestion, with projections reaching ₱5.4 billion per day by 2035.
