Mailing of fare matrices seen to prevent "fixers"

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board will mail the new fare matrices to public utility vehicle operators who have applied for new fares to discourage "fixers" inside the compounds of the LTFRB regional offices.

LTFRB chairperson Maria Elena Bautista, who made the announcement over the weekend,

said the new scheme is seen to prevent "fixers" from preying on operators.

With the mailing of the matrices, operators would only pay for the application fees and wait for their matrix at their respective homes, she said.

"The applicants will no longer bear the long lines just to get the newly adjusted fare matrices," she said.

Before drivers could collect the new fare, Bautista said they should first post in conspicuous places in their vehicles their matrices for the information of the riding public to avoid problems.

The LTFRB has also decided to have color coding of fare matrices like in Metro Manila. Public utility vehicles should have yellow matrices, while public utility buses and jeepneys from regions 3 and 4 entering Metro Manila will have a pink-colored fare matrix.

The Visayas, on the other hand, will have green matrices, while Mindanao will have blue-colored matrices.

The LTFRB also clarified that for jeepneys, the filing fees for the fare matrix is P510 plus P10 for legal research, P40 for franchises verification, and P25 for mailing fee.

Operators with only one unit will be free of charge, while those with more than one unit, however, will have to pay an additional P50 for excess units, Bautista said.

Buses, on the other hand, will have to pay P520 filing fee per case number plus P50 per authorized unit in excess of one.

The LTFRB warned those drivers who did not apply for new fare matrix to refrain from collecting the new fare as there is the "no fare matrix displayed on the vehicle, no fare increase" policy.

On May 10, the LTFRB approved a P2 fare increase in Manila and regions 3 and 4, and P1 for Central Visayas and the nearby Visayas regions. Buses, meanwhile, collect P8 for the minimum fare, which covers the first five kilometers plus P1.75 per succeeding kilometer.

Bautista said that the increases were necessitated by higher fuel prices. The increase was supposed to be implemented starting May 26.

However, about two weeks after, the agency suspended its implementation due to confusions among operators and drivers but eventually lifted the suspension and ordered for its re-implementation on June 21.