LTFRB-7 wants jeepneys exempted from fare matrix

The regional office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 7 will be asking its head office to exempt Cebu public utility jeepney operators from the August 31 order to secure fare matrices to get their P1 fare increase certification.

LTFRB-7 director Rogelio "Jing-jing" Osmeña said that he will file his petition for exemption of the operators after he received a memorandum imposing the deadline, and the corresponding fines for non-compliance. The LTFRB head office ordered the apprehension, effective on September 1, of any PUJ not carrying the new fare matrix effective September 1, 2005. There will be a P500 fine for the first offense, P1,000 for the second offense, and a revocation of the franchise for the third offense.

Osmeña said that to compel PUJ operators to get their new fare matrix or the certification for P1 increase would be tantamount to compelling the commuters to pay the new fare increase.

He said he doesn't want to rush operators in securing the new fare matrix, adding that he would request for an exemption of such order in Cebu to avoid insubordination in case he would not implement the order. LTFRB-7 information officer Eugenio Ibo, Jr. told The Freeman that there are still many PUJ operators who have not secured their fare matrices until now.

Ibo said the LTFRB-7 releases an average of 200 certifications for the P1 fare increase per day. - Gregg M. Rubio