LTFRB assures taxi operators: P60 flagdown rate considered

CEBU, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has assured taxi operators that their request for a P60 flagdown rate is being considered.

The assurance was made by no less than LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III.

Taxi operators had been requesting since 2022 to increase the flagdown rate from P40 to P60. The agency, however, only granted P5 hike in September 2022 making it P45.

Taxi operators sought for partial reconsideration by asking for additional P10 to make it P55.

Guadiz said the government needs to determine first its effect on the economy, including the prices of basic commodities if they grant the P60 flag-down rate.

"Hindi lang naman kasi 'yung pamasahe ang pinag-uusapan diyan, eh. 'Yung epekto niyan sa ekonomiya. Siyempre 'yung mga sumasakay ng taxi, especially if there are commodities involved, ipapasa 'yan sa consumer 'yan. So yung effect -- yung presyo ng bilihin natatamaan 'yan," Guadiz said in a statement.

The LTFRB is awaiting a report from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in relation to this matter.

"Kasi NEDA will ask how the increase will affect the inflation. If it triggers an inflation, then we may not grant the request because the impact of an inflation is nationwide. It will trigger an increase in prices pero kung minimal lang ang effect, we may grant the increase," Guadiz explained.

Nevertheless, Guadiz assured the taxi operators that the LTFRB is now working on their request.

“In the meantime, grinant namin 'yung P5 na raise sa flag-down. However, there will still be another hearing on the additional request for P10 more. They wanted a P60 flag-down," Guadiz said.

Guadiz disclosed that they need to brief the new LTFRB board.

Two weeks ago, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. appointed new officials to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), an attached agency of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

"Since there is a new Board that just came in. We'll give the new Board at least two weeks to take the appeal. Mabilis naman 'tong new Board, it's just that they came onboard just last week, so they still have to be briefed on the merits of the case before we come up with a decision," Guadiz assures. – /FPL (FREEMAN)