Public urged to join hearing on fare hike

CEBU, Philippines - Even before it could set a schedule, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 has started inviting the public to participate in the public hearing that will soon be held on the petition for fare increase.

LTFRB-7 director Ahmed Cuizon said he wants the public to be aware as early as possible of the upcoming public hearing to ensure maximum participation.

“I hope they will participate kay previously during sa atong mga public hearings, gamay ra ang manunga then upon implementation sa new fare daghan na kaayo og reklamo,” said Cuizon.

Cuizon said that he personally handover to LTFRB national office in Manila last week the petition filed by Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative (CITRASCO) for a P2.50 minimum fare increase.

Cuizon said that as of now he is still waiting for the guidelines and directive from its head office on the schedule of public hearing.

He, however, said that the public hearing will be done locally instead of consolidating all the fare hike petitions filed by various transport groups nationwide.

Cuizon said that consumer groups, students, senior citizens, labor sector, women sector, among others should participate and express their views on the matter.

“Mangita mi og lugar nga dali ra adtoon sa publiko aron nga mo apil gyud sila,” he said.

CITRASCO filed a petition last Monday seeking for a P2.50 increase in the minimum fare of public utility jeepney. If the petition is approved, the new minimum fare in Cebu would be P10.

CITRASCO, however, did not anymore ask for additional amount in the succeeding kilometer. PUJ’s minimum fare covers only for the first five kilometers.

Ryan Benjamin Yu, CITRASCO chairman and managing director, said that although the fuel prices has decreased but the prices of spare parts remain high.

Yu, who is also the chairman of the Cebu Confederation of Transport Operators and Drivers Inc., said that operators were forced to increase PUJ rental to recover the cost of maintaining a jeepney unit.

He added that the unit has to be maintained to ensure public safety and road worthiness.

CITRASCO also filed a petition in 2012 seeking for a P1.50 fare increase but it was set aside because of the fuel price rollback. —/FPL (FREEMAN)