CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Integrated Transport Service Multipurpose Cooperative formally filed a petition proposing for a P1 fare increase in jeepney minimum fare making it P7.50 from the current P6.50.
Citrasco’s petition represented by chairman Ryan Benjamin Yu contended that the most recent surges of fuel prices at the average of P4.50 per liter wherein diesel now costs an average of P36.31 per liter while gasoline at P46.65 per liter.
Aside from the fuel price hike, Citrasco said that there is an accompanying escalation on the costs of other products in relation to the petitioner’s public transport operation such as, but not limited to, oils, lubricant, tires and spare parts.
The petitioner added that the said preceding factors brought about a horrendous increase in the operating outlays on their members, they could hardly make a break-even on the investments poured in as well as that of the daily take home earnings of the drivers.
Lawyer Manuel Iway said that he will oppose the said petition considering that the P6 fare hike reduction he filed six months ago was not yet resolved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
Iway added that right now, jeepney minimum fare is P6.50 but several, if not majority of the jeepney drivers, are charging P7.
He added that majority of the drivers are also not implementing the 20-percent discount for the senior citizens, students and the differently abled.
Iway also said that the petition has no basis and that he will strongly oppose such, as he urged the riding public to attend the public hearing once it will be scheduled by the LTFRB.
Central Visayas has around 10,000 jeepney units, majority of which are in Cebu.
It maybe recalled that jeepney minimum fare in Region VII reached to P8 in July last year amid the rising cost of fuel but it was reduced to P7.50 sometime in August of last year when prices of fuel started to drop.
On December 15, 2008, LTFRB implemented a second round of provisional fare reduction of 50 centavos for jeepneys making it P7 from P7.50 and further reduced it by another 50 cents sometime in March of this year, making the current fare to P6.50. – Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)