Public told: Join Dec 17 fare hearing

CEBU, Philippines - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 has scheduled the public hearing on the petition to reduce fare at its office on December 17.

LTFRB-7 Director Reynaldo Elnar urged the public and the public transport drivers and operators to participate in the 9 a.m. public hearing for them to air out their sentiments on the issue.

Earlier, former Cebu City councilor Augustus “Jun” Pe filed a petition before LTFRB-7 to adjust the current public utility jeepney’s minimum fare from P7.50 to P7 or a reduction of P0.50.

Pe argued that with the series of oil price rollbacks, it is but proper that jeepney fares should also be reduced.

Antonio Labios, Department of Energy-7 director, also said that it is high time for fare to be lowered amid the continued fuel price decrease in the world market.

“In my own opinion, angayan nga paubsan na gyud ang pletehan,” said Labios during the AGIO-7 forum the other day.

Romeo Armamento, National Confederation of Transport Workers Union vice president for Central Visayas, said that they will attend the public hearing to let their position be known.

NCTU-CV has over 2,000 member-drivers in Cebu.

Armamento said that they are not opposed to the petition provided that they can get assurance from oil companies that there will be no fuel prices increases in the next three months.

Julieto Flores, Cebu South Mini-Bus Operators Association said that they will be having a meeting within the week whether they will reduced their fare.

Flores, who is also the spokesperson of the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association earlier said that once diesel price will reach below P35.00 per liter, they may seek for a reduced bus fare.

He said diesel price is currently pegged at P34.25 per liter.

Bus and mini-bus operators are actually charging a much lower fare as compared to the rate re for the past several years due to stiff competition.

Antonio Labios added that fuel prices continue to roll back amidst economic slowdown in ‘Europe and China, as well as refusal of Saudi Arabia to cut down its fuel production.

With the rollback in the prices of fuel, Labios said it is time for other government agencies, like the Department of Trade and Industry to look into the prices of basic commodities, whether they merit a price rollback too.

Lyndon Jayme, of the of the Visayan Electric Company economics department assistant vice president for utilities, on the other hand, said in the same forum that fuel cost is already being factored-in with regards to the upcoming increase of P0.40/kwh in the generation rate by April next year.

“Gi-apil na ni og consider ang fuel cost nga ni ubos na. Kay kung wa pa, the increase could be higher,” Jayme said.

VECO said savings due to the power rate adjustment will go to the power generators, not the utility firm, whose contract with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines will expire on December 25, 2014.

Starting April next year, the generation rate will rise from P5.50/kwh to P5.90/kwh, or an increase of P0.40/kwh. — (FREEMAN)