Councilor to push for P0.50 reduction in jeepney fares

With the downward trend of fuel prices going on, city councilor Sylvan Jakosalem said he would lobby at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Region 7 the granting of a P0.50 reduction of jeepney fares in Cebu.

Jakosalem, as head of the transportation committee, is taking this move after LTFRB Chairman Thompson Lantion clarified that the approved provisional 50-centavo fare reduction, which took effect last December 11, only covers the National Capital Region and Regions III and IV.

Jakosalem said the LTRFB-7 has been given the leeway on whether to adopt in this region a similar reduction in jeepney fare from its current rate of P6.

LTFRB regional director Rogelio Osmeña has reportedly considered the proposed reduction here, and should it be carried out, the new minimum jeepney fare will be P5.50.

Transport groups had so far criticized a fare rollback contending that it will affect their earnings, so Jakosalem said that public hearings should be held to give the transport groups and other concerned parties the chance to present their positions on the matter.

Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo group president Anthony Pogado has already argued that there is no need to reduce fares in Central Visayas because the minimum fare in the region is already P6 for the first four kilometers, which is way below the minimum fare of P7.50 in Luzon.

The proposed fare rollback, should it push through in Cebu, will benefit jeepney commuters who will be given 20 percent discount, following existing LTFRB laws, memoranda and directives.

Senior citizens, people with disabilities and students will also get a similar 20 percent discount on top of their usual P0.50 cut off the normal fare.

The students' discounts however will only apply from Monday through Friday excluding holidays. - Garry B. Lao/RAE