LTFRB to probe overcharging, sets eyes vs dilapidated jeeps

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has started looking into claims of "overcharging" by jeep drivers not observing the 50-centavo fare rollback. LTFRB chairman Alberto Suansing also warned transport operators Monday he will revoke their franchises if they continue to use dilapidated vehicles. "Bibigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang operator na ayusin [o] palitan ang sasakyan ... Kung hindi, babawiin natin ang prangkisa [I am giving the operators a chance to fix dilapidated vehicles or replace them. If they refuse, I will have their franchises revoked]," Suansing said in an interview on dzBB radio. Suansing said he already conducted an initial inspection of jeeps in Cubao in Quezon City, and had interviewed some of the jeep drivers there. He added that the LTFRB will look into charges of overpricing, amid reports of jeep drivers charging passengers P10 for certain routes in Makati City. Earlier, dzBB's Bernie Morales also reported some jeep drivers in northern Metro Manila continued to charge the "usual" P7.50 minimum fare Monday, claiming they did not know about the rollback. Many jeep drivers in northern Metro Manila claimed they did not know about the LTFRB's decision to slash fares by 50 centavos. The report said some of the drivers even claimed they could not bring down fares because they had no "new" copy of a fare matrix to reflect the new rates. Many of the drivers reported to still charge the P7.50 rate were plying routes in Malabon City and in Manila Central University and Monumento in Caloocan City. - GMANews.TV