CEBU, Philippines- The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 urged passengers anew to report taxi drivers who do not heed the reduced flagdown rate of P30.
LTFRB-7 director Rey Elnar said they received only one complaint from a passenger as of yesterday.
“Naay usa ka pasahero ni report kay wa gikuhaan og P10 ang plete,” Elnar said.
LTFRB had summoned the taxi operator to answer the complaint.
LTFRB Board Chairman Winston Gines said the reduced rate will be in place even as the Metro Cebu Taxi Operators Association and the Iloilo Taxi Operators Association filed a motion for reconsideration on the order.
Starting yesterday, the flagdown rate was lowered back to P30, which was the rate in 2010 before it was raised to P40.
Gines said the motion for reconsideration will be heard on March 17 to determine its merit. It would then be up to the LTFRB Board to make a decision.
MCTOA President Richard Cabucos says that because each taxi unit registers an average of 40 flagdowns daily, the reduced rate means a driver loses P400 every day, so much, so that the rental rate for a unit remains the same.
Elnar said an operator will be fined P5,000 while a driver will be fined P1,000 in cases of overcharging.
“So far, ang mga drivers okay ra man. Wa man sad silay mahimo kay kung di sila mo tuman, daku man ang penalty,” Elnar said.
Elnar spearheaded the putting of stickers on the dashboard of taxicabs that inform the public about the reduced rate. The rate also applies to yellow taxis. — /JMO (FREEMAN)