Transport operators mull P1.50 fare hike

CEBU, Philippines - A local transport official is again planning to file a petition for P1.50 fare hike owing to the series of oil price increases.

Ryan Benjamin Yu, chairman of the Confederation of Transport Operators and Drivers Association, said that he will have a meeting with the other transport officials to discuss the matter.

CCTODAI is the mother organization of all the transport groups in Cebu.

“Personally, it is about time to increase PUJ fare kay mahal na gyud ang presyo sa fuel,” said Yu, who is also the chairman of the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Multi-purpose Cooperative.

It was CITRASCO who filed a petition before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 early this year. The petition however was set aside after fuel prices went down in May this year. 

Diesel price is now at P44 to P45 per liter. Transport operator Juanito Montemayor said that operators bear the burdens because aside from fuel, prices of spare parts, lubricants and tires have also increased.

“It’s time to increase PUJ fare. Everything is going up,” said Montemayor.

It can be recalled that effective May 15, minimum fare for PUJ in Central Visayas including Cebu was reduced to P7.50. The LTFRB denied with finality all fare hike petitions filed by the different jeepney groups and associations nationwide. Due to the big time rollback implemented by oil giants during that time, in the same decision, the board decided to recall the .50 centavos provisional increase it granted last March 20, 2012.

Taxi operators in Cebu are also planning to re-file their petition for taxi fare amidst the rising cost of fuel including the auto-liquefied petroleum gas.

Richard Cabucos, president of the Metro Cebu Taxi Operators Association, said that they have no choice but to re-file their petition now that fuel prices have gone up.

The Philippine National Taxi Operators Association wherein MCTOA is a member has filed a fare hike petition last March 6. The organization asked for a P10 increase in the current P40 flag down rate and another P1 on every succeeding kilometer from the current P3.50.

The petition however was archived upon the request of the petitioners themselves because of the oil price roll back in the previous months.    - THE FREEMAN