Last year's fare hike no longer enough, taxi group says

The taxi fare increase approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in October 2017 was no longer enough to cover cab operations, Association of Taxi Operators in Metro Manila (ATOMM) asserted on Monday.

"Kasi nga, parang 'yung itinakda nilang date for that is last year pa. So how many times na tumaas 'yung gasoline and then the spare parts,"  ATOMM member Chona Lacson told GMA 7 news program "24 Oras".

The resealing and recalibration of the taxi meters would start in the coming weeks in order to implement the fare increase:

                                                  Before Hike     After Hike
Flagdown Rate                   P40                    P40
Per Kilometer                     P3.50                 P13.50
Running Time                    P3.50                 P2
Charge                                  Per 2 mins       Per minute

Simultaneous with the recalibration, the LTFRB would also weed out taxi units that had been operating for over 12 years, and would look into taxi applications.

"Para we would be able to make the taxi service at par with the TNVS. In the case of taxis, they have both options of getting passengers from the road o kaya with the use of technology through the apps," LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra said.

Taxi operators would be given the time needed for the installation of CCTV cameras, GPS devices, dashcams, and WIFI in their units, in line with the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Act.

"Maaaring makatulong siya pero di siya sapat sa cause ng modernization. Siguro magkakaron kami ng gastos per unit about P10,000 to P12,000," taxi association member Lacson argued.

Meanwhile, the fare increase gained mixed reactions from other taxi drivers.

"Lumaki ng konti 'yung kita namin kapag nag-adjust," one taxi driver said.

"Nawawala 'yung pasahero namin kasi tataas 'yung ano. Kukuha na naman ng Uber unang-una bago 'yung mga unit nila, diba," another one added. — Anna Felicia Bajo/DVM, GMA News