A labor group criticized the recently announced LRT-1 fare hike — raising the maximum fare for a single journey ticket by P10 effective April 2 — as unfair, unreasonable, and untimely.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said Filipino workers and their families, especially minimum wage earners, continue to suffer from rising prices of basic commodities and still without a legislated wage hike.
“We have repeatedly called for the deferment of any fare hikes until Congress passes and enacts the legislated wage hike bill before the 19th Congress closes on June 30. It is unjust that train fares are increasing while minimum wage earners continue to receive fixed salaries that can barely buy rice,” TUCP president and House Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza said.
He warned the fare hike will only push working families deeper into poverty.
“This means an additional P20 daily expense for workers commuting roundtrip via LRT-1, effectively taking back last year’s meager minimum wage of only a P15 increase… If the pending jeepney fare hike to P15 is approved, the small increase in minimum wages will be wiped out completely,” Mendoza said.
“Unless President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. certifies the P200 legislated wage hike as urgent, there is no sight of relief for Filipino workers to come,” he added.