The Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association yesterday announced a 10-centavo increase in bus fare, to be added to the existing P1.10 per kilometer, starting July 15.
On the mentioned date, the official bus fare shall be P8.50 for the first five kilometers and P1.20 for every succeeding kilometer.
Nick Villahermosa, CPBOA chairman and also the owner of Natalie Liner said the hike is still part of staggered increase they implemented a month ago.
Last May CPBOA did not implement the 10-centavo provisional increase granted to them by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and instead implemented the 30-centavo additional fare long before given to them by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board which they held off because of their concern for the riding public.
The LTFRB approved the 30-centavo increase in 2004, but due to the tolerable price of fuel at the time, bus operators decided in 2006 to settle with the rate of P1 for every succeeding kilometer.
The continuous increase in the price of petroleum products prompted them to lift the per-kilometer rate 10 centavos last month which made the official bus fare rate per kilometer at the time P1.10.
For the same reason, now they are again lifting the fare by another 10 centavos.
Villahermosa said if oil price keeps on rising, it is possible that the fare will reach P1.40 per succeeding kilometer because they still have an additional 20 centavos that has not been recovered.
CPBOA has already talked to the LTFRB regional director Romulo Bernardes who reportedly approved their request in principle.
“Anyway, what we are asking is still less than what we should be taking,” Villahermosa said.
They are set to submit their board resolution on July 8 to formalize everything and avail of the official fare matrix. — Jessica Ann Pareja/BRP