New bus, mini-bus fares to take effect April 1

CEBU, Philippines — Fare in buses and mini buses in Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas will be P9 at the minimum starting April 1, 2019.

“P6.00 ra man ang minimum fare nato sa bus ug mini bus so mao na nga naklaro na nga P9.00 na gyud ang minimum fare (Our minimum fare is P6.00 so I want to make it clear that it will now be P9.00)," said Eduardo Montealto, regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

November last year, LTFRB ordered that the minimum fare for Metro Manila and provincial buses shall remain P9 and an additional .15 cents for every succeeding kilometer.

Julieto Flores, spokesperson of the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association and president of Mini-bus Operators Transport Cooperative, said the new fare will be implemented provided the bus or mini bus has the new fare matrix.

"Kung mangulekta gani ang driver sa taas nga pletehan unya wala silay bag-o nga taripa, report mo sa LTFRB (If the driver collects the new rate despite not having a new fare matrix, you report it to LTFRB)," Flores urged commuters.

The current fare is P6.00 for the first five kilometers and P1.20 for the succeeding kilometers.

To recall, CPBOA and Cebu South Mini-Bus Operators Association filed a joint fare hike petition last year and asked for a P4 increase – from P6 to P10 – for the first five kilometers, and another .30 centavos – from P1.20 to P1.50 – for every succeeding kilometer.

In January, however, Flores deferred the petition amidst the series of fuel price reduction in December of 2018.

Cebu bus operators increased their bus fare on February 1, 2018 to P6 from P5 for the first five kilometers and to P1.20 from P1 for every succeeding kilometer.

The increase on February 1, 2018 however, was way below than what was approved by LTFRB in 2008, which was P8.50 for the first five kilometers and P1.45 for the succeeding kilometers.

Due to cutthroat competition and an appeal by former Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, the Cebu bus operators and the Cebu provincial government signed a memorandum of agreement to reduce the bus fare.

Since 2008 up to January 31, 2018, the bus operators collected only P5 for the first five kilometers and P1 for the succeeding meters, which was way below compared to the LTFRB approved bus fare. —  JMO (FREEMAN)