The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) on Wednesday assured riders of LRT Lines 1 and 2 that there is no pending move to increase their fare rates yet.

LRTA public relations division chief Maria Kristina Cassion belied rumors that LRT fare rates are expected to increase this month.

"As far as the LRTA is concerned, there is no fare increase because there is no official proposal yet from the Department of Finance. Our riders need not worry," Cassion said on behalf of LRTA Administrator Melquiades Robles, who missed Wednesday's press conference on the LRTA's "Amazing Rails" contest set this Saturday.

Robles was supposed to be leading the press briefing but he was called for an emergency meeting with Secretary Jose "Ping" de Jesus of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC). Cassion refused to confirm if the fare hike is part of the meeting's agenda.

"Even if there will be a fare increase, the proposal will be coming from the DOF, not from LRTA, and it is still subject to a set of public hearings because there has to be a healthy dialogue between the government and the riding public. The government cannot just dictate on matters of social services like this," Cassion added.

The LRTA is set to mark its 30th Anniversary this Saturday though a race promoting the use of folding bikes as a complementary form of transportation vis-a-vis the train system. The race, dubbed as "Amazing Rails," aims to further popularize the Bike On, Bike Off project that the LRTA launched last year.

At least 30 pairs of contestants have already registered to join. The five-hour race will kickoff at LRT 1 Pasay Taft Station and will commence at LRT 2 Santolan Station.