An Angry Letter to the Manila Train Authorities

 

Note: An English version of the letter is available somewhere farther down the article. 

 

But I would like to point something out: MRT fares are ridiculously cheap, charging half or sometimes even a third, of the fare you would have to spend if you took the jeep or the FX.

 

Every time the MRT and LRT companies express an interest in raising the fare, people take to the streets. They rally, they go on strikes, they rant on social media.

How then, do you expect to have a good service if you refuse to pay for it? 

 

Raising the fare by even one peso will generate millions of revenue, which can be used to make the rails a safer and faster transportation for commuters.

 

I'm not saying that it won't fall into the pockets of some corrupt asshole (because it probably will) but with a rise in transportation fees, people will expect a greater service from the MRT company. When that expectation is not met, strikes and rallies will invariably follow, which will result in either a rollback of fees or better service.  

 

Now for my red side to take over, 

I don't believe in censorship, especially not when it comes to someone's speech. The point of having a fucking Facebook page is so you can communicate with your customers, not so you can block their comments.

Your system sucks and you can't handle it when people tell you so?

What's the point of having a page then? 

 

Also, a "red" point of view on the MRT service.

These bastards make millions of pesos everyday and yet they don't improve the quality of service they have. I'm appalled at the sort of service described by the letter. 

 

I'm really just sitting the fence on what to believe of the MRT service. It's partly owned by a government organ (Department of Transportation and Communication) and partly owned by a private company (Manila Rail Transit Corporation). 

Is it the government's responsibility then, that the Filipino people be provided with a safe, efficient and convenient method of transport?

Or are we really just getting what we pay for?

 

Really, all I'm really sure of is how much I admire my friend, who has to take the MRT everyday and never even says a word of complaint about it.