MANILA, Philippines - (UPDATED) The Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) approved on Monday a P1 increase in the minimum fare for public utility jeepneys nationwide, which will take effect on Wednesday.
The increase will bring the minimum fare in Luzon to P8 while the P6.50 minimum fare in Visayas and Mindanao will go up to P7.50.
The LTFRB said the increase is provisional and no longer requires public hearings or a 15-day publication period before it takes effect.
Public transport groups filed the petition for the increase citing soaring fuel costs.
"Pag provisional kasi, immediate ang pangangailan… Allowed sila humingi ng up to P8.50. Noong 2008 P8.50 na singil nila, bumaba langis kaya binaba. Ngayon tumataas na naman," explained LTFRB Chairman Nelson Laluces.
Public transport groups welcomed the LTFRB’s approval of their petition as they appealed to the public for understanding.
They also warned that if fuel prices continue to rise, they would seek a new increase as they blamed oil companies for the continuing fuel price hikes.
"Hindi pa rin ‘yan ang solusyon, pantawid gutom lang ito,” said George San Mateo, secretary-general of Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston).
They said that if fuel prices increase by another P10 per liter, they would seek another increase in minimum fares.
A commuters' group, meanwhile, protested the provisional increase given by the LTFRB and called for consultations to be launched.
The LTFRB earlier approved the increase in the taxi fares. It has started inspecting and calibrating taxi meters to allow operators to charge higher fares starting Monday last week.
The LTFRB, however, reminded the public that only properly calibrated taxi cabs, which have meters that can issue receipts, will be allowed to charge the higher P40 flag-down rate. From a report by Zen Hernandez, ABS-CBN News
REACTION
I remember when I was still in grade school, I paid three pesos for a ride from home to school. Then, when I reached the sixth grade, it became four pesos. Then when I reached highschool, drivers demand a five-peso fare for a travel less than half a kilometer. Now, I used to pay five pesos. But just a couple of months ago, just as I stepped out of the jeepney, a tricycle driver came near and offered a ride. I rode in and upon reaching my home, I extended my arm and gave him five pesos. He smirked sourly and told me the fare had gone up and that I should pay him six pesos. He said the price of the gasoline rose up and so also the fare. I looked at him, and grabbed a one peso coin in my pocket. Then I went inside and told my dad about it.
I never complained about the one-peso increase and I think I wouldn't also complain this time. The one peso increase is not really a big deal BUT I think the fare surge is not worthy sa quality ng mga drivers for two reasons. First, drivers do not even follow rules and regulations set by the local government and officials. Board signs like "no smoking" are posted everywhere even in the walls of their jeepneys but still 60% of the drivers smoke inside their vehicles. They are not disciplined enough. They do not follow traffic rules and beat red lights always. Some drivers think they rule the highways, that they are the kings of the road. And during their lull times, a lot of them troop to the lotto or horse racing betting stations. If they could just reduce these vices, they might not demand for fare increases anymore.
Second, jeepney drivers don't pay taxes! They get to "home" what they have earned during that day. They kept saying they are "gipit" or "kulang pa ang kita" pero the truth is, they don't pay taxes. They even act like kings of the roads but who paid taxes for these roads? Of course, the ones who will be paying the fare+1 peso! What they earned are not deducted by withholding tax unlike the ordinary employees who got their salaries already reduced by the withholding tax. Drivers kept demanding and complaining and I really don't know why!
Anyhoo, the one peso increase is still fine but drivers should keep in their minds that the "mamamayan" is trying to earn money for their families so they should also consider the quality that they give. They should follow traffic rules, shut their persistent demands and lessen their vices!
