Jeepney drivers await LTFRB decision on fare hike petitions

Jeepney drivers are awaiting the government decision on appeals to hike the minimum fare given the successive hikes in pump prices of petroleum products.

One such drivers is Aladin Fines, who drives for 16 hours from 2 a.m. to 6 p.m., making four to five round trips from Novaliches in Quezon City to Bagumbong in Caloocan.

Aladin makes some P630 from a good trip and an estimated P2,800 from a full day’s work. He would then need to pay P1,000 for the boundary, P1,000 for diesel, and P180 for food, leaving him with some P600 to P800 at the day's end.

Aladin, however, shares the jeepney with several other drivers, and so he drives only three to four days a week.

“Sabihin nating kumita na ako ng P800, bukas wala akong biyahe, eh di ibig sabihin gagastusin ko ‘yung pera na P800 na ‘yun dalawang araw… Talagang kulang naman talaga,” he said in Jonathan Andal's report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

“Gusto namin talagang tumaas po ‘yung pamasahe, hindi lang sa minimum fare, pati ‘yung succeeding,” he added.

(Let’s say I make P800, but tomorrow I won’t have a trip so I will have to spend that P800 for two days… It is not enough.

We want the fares to increase, not only the minimum fare but also in the succeeding kilometers.)

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) earlier this month approved a P1 provisional increase on the minimum jeepney fare, but with no increase in the succeeding kilometers.

The provisional increase was approved for jeepneys in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon, bringing the minimum fare for the first four kilometers to P10.

Several petitions are still pending with the LTFRB, seeking as much as a P6 fare hike for the minimum fare.

“Either ‘yung P5 or ‘yung P6, or ma-grant man ng increase, either hindi ‘yong full na P5 or hindi ‘yung full na P6, or ‘yung P1 na provisional increase,” LTFRB Executive Director Tina Cassion said in the same report.

“Iyon ‘yung mga tinitignan po ng board at ng technical persons natin sa ngayon,” she added.

(Either the P5 or P6 petition, or if we grant an increase, either not the full P5 or P6, or the P1 provisional increase… Those are what the board and the technical persons are looking into as of now.)

The LTFRB said three factors were being considered in the decision — the economic viability of operators given the price increases, the impact on passengers, and the impact on inflation.

The latest data available from the Department of Energy (DOE) indicates a net year-to-date increase of P28.70 per liter for gasoline, P41.15 per liter for diesel, and P37.95 per liter for kerosene.

Another major pump price hike is expected this week — gasoline by as much as P0.50 per liter, and diesel by as much as P2.30 per liter, marking the third straight week of increases if realized. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News