“There is more than ample budget for the MRT and LRT but Malacañang wants to increase fares so that they can have discretion over the savings and turn this into a Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP)-like pork barrel to be spread to their favourite politicians.” – Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares
“With more than a million passengers riding all three lines a day, the MRT and LRT generate more than enough income for their operations and maintenance. That’s the reason why big businesses are drooling over and trying to buy them.”
“We maintain that the concession agreement is grossly disadvantageous to the public. It will be disastrous for commuters.” – Renato Reyes, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
The public-private deal concerning LRT will give the Ayala-MVP Group the benefit of the government’s official development assistance (ODA) in financing more than half of the total project cost of about P65-billion. The government committed to shoulder the right of way acquisition, purchase of coaches, civil works, among other expenses.
See also: Bayan rues ‘End of an era’ as Aquino privatizes LRT 1