The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will conduct a public hearing on Friday to tackle a proposed fare increase in three rail systems in Metro Manila.

Transportation Undersecretary Cesar Chavez, chairman of the Rail Regulatory Unit of the Department of Transportation, said the opposing groups and individuals will be invited to join the hearing.

"There will be a public hearing on Friday, which means we invite stakeholders. Those we heard in the radio, TV, social media and newspaper that are opposing it, we invited them," he said.

"The consumers group, the think-tank we invited them. Infrawatch we invited and Renato Reyes (of Bayan) we invited him because we want to hear different angles here," he said.

Reyes, in his statement last week, said the minimum P13 single journey ticket will be raised to P17 for MRT-3. The end-to-end fare from North Ave. to Taft Ave. will be raised from P28 to P34.

The LRTA-owned LRT-2 from Antipolo to Recto will have a minimum P13 fare from the current P11. End-to-end fare will be increased from P28 to P33.LRT-1 will implement an increase of around P9 but commuter based on its submission. The current P15 will be raised to P17 while the end-to-end fare from Roosevelt to Baclaran will be raised from P30 to P44, added Reyes.

Chavez said during the public hearing, the Light Rail Manila Corp. will explain the fare hike. Comments will from the public will be noted.

"After that the decision will be submitted to me as chairman of the rail regulatory unit and from that we will make a decision which will be publish three times," he said."Once we are satisfied, we can just have one hearing. But if I think that there is a need for other documents or resource person that can be done but otherwise if it is already substantial one hearing will be enough," he added. Robina Asido/DMS