Motoring Today Column: Free Ride?

Jun 08, 2022

Free Ride?

Many have been wondering at how the Metro Rail Transit Line 3, or the MRT-3, is able to provide free rides to commuters for weeks now since March 28.

It turns out taxpayers are paying for the free rides.

The MRT-3 free ride program was began ostensibly to celebrate the completion of the rehabilitation of the metro rail line by its management and maintenance provider Sumitomo-MHI-TESP.

The free ride program was announced by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the MRT-3 management following a ceremonial inauguration led by President Duterte of the completion of the massive rehab project for the light rail transit line.

The free ride supposed to last a couple of weeks but has since been extended and re-extended until the end of the Duterte administration on June 30, 2022.

The reason given for each extension was that government wanted to continue to help commuters cope with the rise in fuel prices and inflation while at the same time to allow the newly rehabbed MRT-3 to test its capacity and performance with the increase in ridership.

According to MRT-3 OIC general manager Michael Capati, 15,730,000 passengers have benefitted from the free ride program from March 28 to May 24, 2020 to the tune of P286 million in foregone revenues from uncollected fare.

In news reports, Capati also said the MRT-3 estimates additional foregone revenues to amount to from P150 to P180 million by the end of the free ride program for a total of nearly half a billion pesos.

From the outset of the program, Capati said that the foregone revenues from uncollected fare would be taken from the “subsidy for mass transport” allocated to the MRT-3 in the 2022 General Appropriations Act.

It is specified in the 2022 GAA that the “amount needed for the payment of prior and current years' obligations for equity rental, maintenance fees and other obligations due to the Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRTC), as specified in the build-lease-and-transfer agreement between the DOTr and MRTC, shall be charged against the fare box revenue and all non-rail collections or income of the MRT 3.”

It also specified that “any deficiency in collections or income may be augmented by the amounts appropriated herein for mass transport subsidy” for the MRT-3 which totals to P7,111,507,000.

One can then say that all taxpayers from Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao are paying for the free rides of MRT-3 passengers in Metro Manila.

Aside from asking if it is fair to taxpayers from other regions to subsidize commuters in Metro Manila, another question begging to be asked is: Why doesn’t government implement a similar program in other rail systems?

Well, news reports quoted DOTr officials as saying other light rail systems like the LRT-1 and LRT-2 were “not in a position to give free rides like the MRT-3.”

Unlike the build-lease-and-transfer agreement between the DOTr and MRTC, LRT-1 has a concession agreement with private operator Light Rail Manila Corporation.

According to news reports, the LRT-2 has a different financial and subsidy program under the GAA.

What about the Philippine National Railways which runs trains powered by engines using now very expensive diesel fuel?

Well, news reports quoted PNR General Manager Jun Magno as saying: “We can’t give rides for free because we can’t ask for additional subsidies.”

Suzuki Expansion

Our friends at Suzuki Philippines has just made it more convenient to own any of the excellent models its lineup with the opening of two refurbished dealerships in Metro Manila.

There is Suzuki Auto Araneta Center at the inLGF Ali Mall, Time Square Ave. cor. P. Tuazon Blvd., Cubao, Quezon City which resumed operations under the under the new management team of ETNA Motors, Inc.

Then there is Suzuki Auto Pasig which relocated to a bigger 930 square meter facility along E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue (C5), Bagong Ilog, Pasig, with seven service bays and a two-car showroom.

Says Norihide Takei, recently appointed general manager for Suzuki Automobile: “It is with great joy that we announce the resumption of operations in Araneta Center, as well as the relocation of Suzuki Auto Pasig to a new and better dealership with bigger and improved facilities.”

Two Icons Meet

There’s a new iconic bridge in the Visayas, the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), and right now it’s an irresistible drive-through attraction for visitors and those living in Cebu and Mactan.

MINI Philippines couldn’t resist joining in the bandwagon holding what it called theMINI Cebu Breakfast Drive, participated in by 29 MINI owners in the area.

It was a great Instagram moment to record a convoy of iconic MINIs speeding along the 8.5-kilometer CCLEX spanning the channel between the islands of Cebu and Mactan.

MINI Philippines said the drive meant to build camaraderie among MINI owners in the region while experiencing the convenience of the newly built CCLEX.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & inquiries:

(email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com

(website) www.motoringtoday.ph

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ray Butch Gamboa graduated from the College of Arts and Letters of the University of Sto. Tomas. It was a course that should have been preparatory to a law degree, but the call of broadcasting aborted his plans.

At the age of 16, while still a student, Butch tried his hand at disc jockeying, landing a job at Mareco Broadcasting Network’s AM stations DZBM and DZLM. From there, Butch moved on with his illustrious career as a popular disc jockey, riding the airwaves of Bob Stewart’s middle-of-the-road music at DZXX, and ending his disc jockeying career at ABS-CBN’s DZYL and DZQL.

From there, he stayed on with ABS-CBN, covering live the proceedings at the Manila Stock Exchange and eventually entered into the world of television sales as an account manager for the premier channel of ABS-CBN Channel 2.

In the early 70’s, at the outbreak of Martial Law, Butch was one of the thousands of professionals who woke up jobless when then President Marcos declared the new status of the nation. With the closure of ABS-CBN, Butch ventured into different fields outside of broadcast. He tried his hand and with ease and success at export (Costume jewelry), real estate (brokerage), and restaurants (fast food).

In 1987, after the revolution, with the broadcast industry back to its free state, and with its irresistible call ringing in his ears, Butch made his inevitable comeback and pioneered in a local motoring show, producing Motoring Today on Channel 4 and co-hosting with local motor sports’ living legend Pocholo Ramirez.

After 4 years, he ventured into another pioneering format by producing and hosting Business & Leisure, which was originally aired on ABS-CBN’s Channel 2. The format eventually espoused similar ones in other different channels. But the clones in due course faded away leaving the original staying on airing on Channel 4 and eventually on Shop TV on Sky Cable’s Channel 13.

The following year, the pioneering spirit in Butch spurred him to produce another TV show, Race Weekend, also on Channel 4, covering circuit racing at the Subic International Raceway after the motor sport’s hiatus of 17 years. But when similar shows with duplicated formats sprouted, he decided to give way and ended the program after a year, although still enjoying unparalleled viewership.

In 1998, when the local automotive industry was in a slump, Butch contributed his share to help the ailing industry by producing another popular motoring-related show, this time exclusive to the automobile and its industry—Auto Focus, which became a vehicle for local automotive assemblers and importers to showcase their products and dwell on the industry’s latest technological developments.

In 2003, Butch teamed up with his brother, Rey Gamboa who was a former Shell executive and presently one Philippine Star’s business columnist to co-produce and co-host the TV show Breaking Barriers on Channel 13. It is a talk show that features guests who are in the news and in the middle of controversies. The program ventures to draw deeper insights into current issues to learn how they impact to our daily lives.

Today, Motoring Today on its 28th year of service to the general motoring public still enjoys its unprecedented loyal vierwership nationwide while Auto Focus, after 16 years has firmly established its niche viewership among automobile enthusiasts and on the other hand Business & Leisure is on its 24th year dishing out current business issues and lifestyle features.

Today, aside from writing weekly columns for the Philippine Star (Motoring Today on Wednesdays and Business & Leisure on Saturdays) and executive producer / host of weekly TV shows (Motoring Today, airs Sundays on Solar Sports Channel 70, Business & Leisure, airs Tuesdays on Shop TV, Sky Cable Channel 13 and Auto Focus airs Thursdays on Shop TV, Sky Cable Channel 13, Ray Butch Gamboa is currently the Chairman and CEO of Sunshine Television Production and Marketing Services Corp., President of Gamcor Management and Development Corp., Chairman of Asia-Pacific Realty Corporation, President and Chairman of Socio-Communication Foundation for Asia and Founding Chairman of the Society of Phil. Motoring Journalists (SPMJ)