LTFRB: Fare increase unlikely during pandemic

MANILA, Philippines — Increasing fares in public transportation is not likely during the pandemic despite the spike in fuel prices, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said yesterday.

LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III said the agency received a petition for a fare hike from drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) since oil companies have implemented price increases for six consecutive weeks.

Delgra said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is hesitant to burden commuters with fare increases.

“What we are doing is we’re addressing the concerns of transport operators without having much more negative impact on commuters,” Delgra said in an interview on GMA News.

He said the DOTr is looking at another round of financial assistance to help PUV drivers and operators cope with higher fuel prices.

On Tuesday, oil companies – for the sixth straight week – increased gasoline prices by P1.05 per liter, diesel by P1.20 and kerosene by P1.25.

Meanwhile, Delgra said the LTFRB has ordered ES Consortium to explain why bus drivers and conductors have not yet received their salaries, which amounted to P20 million, for servicing free rides to commuters along EDSA.

The LTFRB has released P1.6 billion in salaries of drivers and conductors under the government’s “Libreng Sakay” program on the EDSA Carousel, according to Delgra.

The agency disbursed P672.69 million to ES Consortium while Mega Manila Consortium received P559.52 million under the DOTr’s service contracting program, which aimed to help transport workers affected by the pandemic.

Unlike ES Consortium, the Mega Manila Consortium managed to disburse the salaries of its transport workers.

Drivers and conductors under ES Consortium have filed a complaint with the Department of Labor and Employment over the non-payment of their salaries.

“The employer should be the one answerable here,” Delgra said, adding that the LTFRB could not intervene in labor issues.

The LTFRB has denied allegations that it had been colluding with the transport consortium.