Bus fare hike petition under review by LTFRB

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) tackled the petition of bus operators to increase the minimum fare for public utility buses (PUBs) in an en banc hearing on Thursday.

In the joint petition by the Southern Luzon Bus Operators Association, Nagkaisang Samahan ng Nangangasiwa ng Panglalawigang Bus sa Pilipinas, and Samahang Transport Operators ng Pilipinas Inc., they requested a P20 minimum fare for the first five kilometers in the air-conditioned buses from P13, and a charge of P3.40 per kilometer beyond five kilometers.

The petition also called for an increase in the minimum fare in the ordinary buses from P11 to P15, with a P2.70 charge per kilometer.

For the provincial PUB, they requested P15 minimum fare in the ordinary buses with a charge of P2 per kilometer. In air-conditioned PUB, the charge is P2.50 per kilometer for regular air conditioned buses, P2.60 per kilometer for De Luxe, P2.70 per kilometer for Super De Luxe, and P3.60 per kilometer for Luxury.

According to Maki Pulido’s “24 Oras” report, commuter Blue Teodones takes an air-conditioned bus from Batasan Hills, Quezon City to EDSA in Quezon City. She currently pays P24 but if the LTFRB approves the petition, she will pay P37 per trip.

“Paano naman kaming commuters, paano naman kung ang budget namin sakto lang,” Teodones said.

Bus operators also said the number of PUBs operating has decreased due to oil price hike.

They said that the current fare matrix in PUBs was implemented when the oil price was still at P44 per liter in 2018.

“Fuel cost tumaas, nagdoble yung presyo. Hindi pupwedeng hindi kami magtaas dahil baka hindi masustain ang operation namin,” Juliet De Jesus of Mega Manila Consortium Corporation said.

(Fuel cost increased, the price doubled. If we do not increase, we may not be able to sustain our operation.)

“Ang tyansa dito kung mabigyan kami ng increase baka maparami ang tatakbo,” Atty. Cesar Cainglet, lawyer of the bus operators, said.

(The chance here is that if we are given an increase, maybe more bus operators will operate again.)

In response, the LTFRB said they while it understands the need of PUB operators to make their livelihood sustainable , the hike they are seeking should be balanced with the capacity of commuters to shoulder the increase.

“That is one of the commitments that as long as matugunan yung fare adjustment nila at reasonable naman at saka yung isa sa mga hiningi nila kanina yung mabalik yung mga dati nilang route para mas maging viable ang pagpapasada nila,” LTFB chair person Cheloy Garafil said.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA News