TNVS group seeks P15 base fare increase amid oil price hikes

A group of Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) drivers and operators is seeking to increase the base fare for their services amid the skyrocketing prices of petroleum products.

At a press conference on Thursday, TNVS Community—which has 25,000 members—appealed to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to grant their petition for a P15 base fare increase.

“Gusto namin makipagdiyalogo sa kanila at bigyan kami ng pagkakataon na ibigay ang aming mga hinaing dahil hindi na po talaga kaya. Ang naiuuwi ng mga drivers namin ngayon hindi na halos nakakasapat,” TNVS Community’s Saturnino Mopas said.

(We want to talk to them in the hopes of getting our appeal granted since we can't take it any longer. Our drivers' take-home pay has become insufficient.)

The group said the petition was filed in November 2021, but the LTFRB has yet to make a decision.

TNVS Community’s Arlynn Camorongan said that the petition took into consideration what is both acceptable for drivers and operators, as well as the commuting public.

“Sana’y pagbigyan ang labinlimang pisong dagdag pamasahe sa base fare namin sa kasalukuyang fare matrix,” Mopas said.

(We are hopeful that our appeal for a P15 base fare increase in the current fare matrix will be approved.)

Below is the prevailing fare matrix for TNVS, which was last updated in August 2019.

The LTFRB has yet to respond to requests for comment.

Local pump prices have been increasing since the start of the year.

This week, oil firms hiked fuel prices by P13.15 per liter for diesel, P7.10 per liter for gasoline, and P10.50 per liter for kerosene, marking the 11th consecutive week of increase.

"Kahit tila unti-unti nang bumabalik sa dati ang aming hanapbuhay, agad namang nasundan ito ng sunod-sunod na pagtaas ng presyo ng produktong petrolyo. Hindi pa man kami tuluyang nakakabangon, muli na namang nahaharap sa panibagong pagsubok ang aming mga kabuhayan," TNVS Community said in a separate statement.

(Although our livelihoods have gradually returned to normal, a series of price increases in petroleum products followed almost immediately. Our livelihoods face a new challenge, even though we haven't entirely recovered.)

While the group is thankful for the P6,500 fuel subsidy from the government, TNVS Community believes that the issue of continuous oil price hikes requires an immediate action from the LTFRB. — VBL, GMA News