LRT SHOULD OPERATE UNTIL 12 MIDNIGHT EVEN IF WITH ADD’L P15 AS “PREMIUM FARE”

I’ve ridden the LRT after 9PM from Vito Cruz station at least thrice this past year and the coach is fairly packed with passengers. DOTr acknowledges that passenger volume after 10PM have increased in the past years.

I understand that LRT tried to extend its operating hours 3-years ago but discontinued it after an assessment in its level of efficiency. Of course, lesser passenger volume may likely result in lower returns for the same costs, but LRT isn’t just a business venture, isn’t it? It is also a public service facility!

Why not add P10 or P15 to the regular fare after 10PM? Call it “premium fare” for the extended hours. I’m sure that this would be viewed as reasonable enough considering that we don’t want to operate the train system at a loss but we also want to provide a safer and quicker means for our loved ones who are coming home from work or from school.

RETURN OF BALANGIGA BELLS A RESULT OF DUTERTE-TRUMP STRONG LEADERSHIP COMBINATION

It would've taken back-channel efforts by Filipino and American groups at least another 1-1/2 decades to make progress on the return of the infamous Balangiga Bells hadn't the combination of Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Pres. Donald Trump happened. The supposed lobbying being done by them in the U.S. since the time of Pres. Ramos couldn't have even made a dent on the powerful U.S. War Veterans' lobbying to let them remain in U.S. hands.

Only Pres. Duterte and Pres. Trump, both known for their no-nonsense and strong leadership could have made such a remarkably difficult feat possible. Even Presidents Ramos, Estrada, Arroyo, and Aquino couldn't have possibly overcome the influential U.S. War Veterans' efforts in any of the previous U.S. administrations - Clinton, Bush and Obama.