LRTA seeks P3B loan to pay LRMC for denied fare hikes, pending approval.

The Light Rail Transit Authority is seeking a P3-billion loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines to settle its remaining debt to Light Rail Manila Corp., the LRT-1 operator, after paying over P900 million toward its P4-billion claim. The debt stems from denied fare hikes between 2016 and 2020, causing financial strain and prompting investor concerns. Despite this, LRMC reports daily ridership near pre-pandemic levels, with improvements including new stations and train sets. The loan application, filed last year, remains pending.