Stolen from:
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/197321/p...loppositionist

Planned MRT fare hike to test PNoy's political will—oppositionist
07/29/2010 | 08:09 PM

“Do you want to be right or do you want to be popular?"

An opposition lawmaker posed this rhetorical question for President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday, saying that the planned increase in the fare of Metro Rail Transit 3 will test the chief executive’s political will.

In a news forum in Quezon City, Rep. Danilo Suarez of Quezon province said that the MRT project was approved during the presidency of Corazon Aquino; started under President Fidel Ramos; inaugurated during the time of President Joseph Estrada; and paid during the time of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Suarez said the MRT eliminated 9,000 buses in EDSA, reduced pollutant emissions from vehicles, and provided commuters with trips that strictly observed time schedules.

If not for the MRT, Suarez said, the 9,000 buses will return to ply daily again along EDSA, which would turn the major urban artery into a veritable car park.

“(Magiging) car park yang EDSA, walang gagalaw diyan (kung) lagyan mo ng 9,000 na buses araw araw (EDSA will turn into a car park, nothing will move there if you put in 9,000 buses daily)," he said.

“It reflects the principle of the government of what we call equity in transportation between a rich man and a poor man. That is mass transit," Suarez said.

Despite these benefits, the government is at the losing end as it is subsidizing a large part of the operational cost.

On Thursday, Transportation and Communications secretary Jose de Jesus bared the plan to increase MRT fares, following Aquino's State of the Nation Address which exposed, among others, a decision of the past Arroyo administration that kept down MRT fares at the expense of sustainable service. (See: MRT fare hike looms — DOTC)

“Ngayon, kung ititigil ang subsidy at itataas mo ang pamasahe, magagalit sa iyo ang sumasakay. Ngunit tama yung gagawin mo. Kaya abangan natin. Makikita yung kanyang prinsipyo. Do you want to be popular or do you want to be right," Suarez reiterated.

(Now if you stop the subsidy and increase fares, commuters will get mad at you. But you would be doing right. So let’s wait and see. We will find out about your principles. Do you want to be popular or do you want to be right?)

He however said the decision of the past administrations to subsidize MRT operations may be wrong, “but there is an issue of social consciousness."

During that time, the country was reeling from economic problems and we did not want to add more burdens on our commuters, Suarez added.—Amita O. Legaspi/JV, GMANews.TV