LTFRB: P.50 fare hike approved “in principle”

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board clarified that provisional P0.50 centavos increase is only approved “in principle”.

LTFRB executive director Emmanuel Mahipus, in an interview with The Freeman, clarified that the agency has not issued any order for the implementation of the requested P0.50 provisional increase among public utility jeepneys.

“It is already discussed in the ongoing hearing by the Board and there is a very high probability that it is going to be implemented the soonest,” Mahipus said.

Mahipus said there is really a need to implement an increase considering the high price of oil in the world market which is directly felt by the jeepney drivers.

He however further assured that the regional directors are now finalizing the granting of the P2 gasoline subsidy allowance per liter which is expected to be implemented by June.

The Nagkahiusang Driver sa Sugbo, in recent interview, said that the subsidy is not enough to cover their losses.

They insisted that the P1.50 requested is not an increase but merely an implementation of the increase granted to them two years ago.

NADSU spokesman Ruben Rama said that they are also calling for the abolition of the oil deregulation law and the solution for the discriminations experienced by drivers from the officials of LTO.

In 2004, Rama said, their petition for P5.50 minimum fare was not granted to them.  Instead, P5 minimum fare was implemented because of a petition for P0.50 deduction on the supposedly increase.

Rama revealed that a similar case happened in 2005.  When drivers petitioned for a P2 increase, the LTFRB-7, whose regional director was Rogelio “Jing-Jing” Osmeña that time, approved only P1 additional fare.

Other driver’s group requested the P1.50 as a direct increase on top of the minimum fare.  — Ferliza C. Contratista with Jessica Ann Pareja, UP intern/BRP