Drivers want P0.50 provisional increase
While the petition for a P1.50 fare hike is still pending in Congress, drivers of public utility jeepneys have asked for a P0.50 provisional fare increase for the time being.
This proposal for a provisional increase however has to be discussed in a hearing in
Mahipus, who was in Bohol for the two-day nationwide Regional Managers’ Conference, said that it would be hard to approve the P1.50 fare increase due to a lot of factors but the LTFRB has been trying to balance the interests of both drivers and passengers.
“Naningkamot jud mi nga makatabang sa mga drivers. They already know na dili sayon ang pagpasaka og pamasahe. Kay kinahanglan pa tan- awon kung makaya ba sa publiko labi na karon na nagkataas ang presyo sa palaliton nya wala pa mutaas ang sweldo,” he said.
There is also a pending request for a P2 fuel subsidy that the LTFRB —together with the national government, oil companies, and other groups— has been studying, Mahipus said.
He said that there will be a meeting this Thursday about the subsidy plan, which will be available to drivers of public utility vehicles each of whom will have a passbook to gain discounts and record fuel consumption.
Once the national government approves the subsidy, it will be carried out with an estimated cost reaching P3.3 billion within three months, Mahipus said.
Ruben Rama of the Nagkahiusang Driver sa Sugbu contended however that the P2 subsidy will be insufficient to offset the high price of commodities now.
Rama said NADSU will join the scheduled nationwide transport strike on Monday to let the government know the sentiments behind the appeal for a fare increase.
Meanwhile, the Cebu Integrated Transport Cooperative announced that it will not join the strike. Citrasco’s vice president Ryan Benjamin Yu, said that his group believes in the efforts of LTFRB in putting the matter in proper perspective. — Ferliza C. Contratista and Jessica Ann Pareja, UP Masscom intern/RAE
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