PISTON welcomes plan to lower fares, wary of how subsidy will be distributed
MANILA, Philippines — The Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) urged the government to be fair and careful in its plan to lower public utility vehicle fares using the service contracting budget — this while enjoining the state to cover even traditional jeepneys in the deal.
The Department of Transportation earlier proposed lowering the fares of jeepneys, modern minibuses, buses and UV Express units as a "discount" to passengers now that the EDSA Bus Carousel ended its free ride system. This will effectively bring down the minimum fare to P9 from P12.
PISTON said it appreciates the DOTr's efforts to bring affordable transportation to commuters. However, they estimate that the P2-billion service contracting budget meant to subsidize the fares "cannot cover all PUJ routes."
"Our fear is that the government might only use the [P2 billion budget to subsidize] those who have consolidated their franchises in order to pursue the phaseout," said Mody Floranda, PISTON national president, in Filipino this Thursday.
Drivers and operators of traditional jeepneys and UV Express staged a transport strike earlier this month due to a memorandum of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board forcing them to join corporations or cooperatives by December 31. This will supposedly enable them to purchase modernized minibuses worth up to P2.8 million each. Failing to do so would phase them out from the streets.
PISTON and Manibela ended their strike prematurely after the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed to study the possibility of revising the DOTr's "expensive" modernization program that reportedly places drivers and operators deep in debt.
Floranda emphasized that the disbursement of the P2-billion budget originally intended for the Libreng Sakay should not be restricted only to the consolidated franchises to ensure a just and unbiased distribution of the benefits of the program.
The progressive transport group says that priority should be given to implementing substantial wage increase for workers rather than forcing drivers and small operators to shoulder the burden of lowering fare prices.
The scrapping of the comntrpoversial fuel excise tax, value added tax and repealing the Oil Deregulation Law, they said, could also help in reducing the fuel prices that have long burdened drivers and operators.
"Lowering fares won't be a problem if the government would lower and control the prices of oil and basic necessities. They should also consider increasing worker's wages so that no one gets left behind," said Floranda.
Makabayan bloc lawmakers led by Gabriela Women's Party Rep. Arlene Brosas earlier filed House Bill 7568 mandating the state to increase the daily minimum wage by P750, while Senate President Migz Zubiri filed SB 2002 in order to increase it by P150.
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