Department of Transportation and Communication Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya was a no-show at a congressional hearing regarding the recent the fare increases at Metro Manila’s train lines, but his aides admitted the current increase would only be the first of many that could come every two years.
“It is also deplorable that DOTC Sec. Joseph Abaya did not even show up at the hearing but is all over media defending the fare hike,” Colmenares said during a hearing of the House’s committee on transportation, chaired by Abaya’s party-mate Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento.
Abaya instead sent DOTC Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla who claimed Abaya was busy over preparations for the visit of Pope Francis next week.
It was the second time Abaya snubbed a congressional hearing on the train systems after he also begged off a Senate hearing in December purportedly because he was meeting with Korean investors.
“The person who will answer all the questions of the people is not here. He has all the time for the media, yet he could not attend this committee hearing. It seems he is avoiding this hearing,” Colmenares said.
During the hearing, Lotilla admitted that the fare hike the DOTC imposed last Jan. 4 was one of the “conditions” for the concession agreement that the government awarded to a consortium of the Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation.
Under that concession agreement, which took effect last October and will last for 32 years, the consortium may increase fares on the Light Rail Transit 1 by 10 percent every two years.
After the consortium takes operational control of the train line, which should already heave increased fares, it will then begin to build the 11.7-kilometer extension from the present endpoint in Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite at a cost of P35 billion, Lotilla explained.
There will be eight new stations along the extended route, running through the cities of Parañaque and Las Piñas up to Bacoor, but revenues will first be used to meet the annual guaranteed return of P7 billion to the consortium, Lotilla added. (C/O MST, Maricel Cruz)