The Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), which runs the country's 41-year-old train system, announced on Tuesday fare hikes at the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line - 1 effective April 2.

In a notice dated February 14, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) approved the fare adjustment to LRT - 1 at P20 from the current P15 for single journey tickets.

End-to-end tickets will cost P55 from the present P45.

On the other hand, the stored value fare ranges from the minimum of P16 and a maximum of P52.

Based on the formula for the fare hike, boarding fares increase to P16.25 from P13.29 while distance fares are set to P1.47 from P1.21 increment per kilometer travel.

The notice, signed by Transport Undersecretary for Railway Jeremy Regino, ordered the LRMC "to publish the approved fare at least once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation".

The approval of the DOTr came over a month after it conducted a public hearing for the fare hike petition filed by the LRMC. Robina Asido/DMS