LTFRB likely to grant 50-centavo jeepney fare hike next week

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday indicated that it is likely to allow jeepney operators to increase the minimum fare by 50 centavos next week and reinstate the minimum fare to P7.50. In an interview, LTFRB chairman Thompson Lantion said the agency is just waiting for the National Economic Development Authority’s (NEDA) approval before it orders the reinstatement of the old minimum fare for jeepneys from the existing P7 minimum fare. This is lower than the increase petitioned by jeepney operators, who wanted to hike jeepney fares to P8.50 – an increase by P1.50 – to cope with the rising fuel prices. “It (fare hike grant) is possible next week, because it’s a done deal already with the LTFRB. We are just waiting for NEDA’s approval," Lantion told reporters in Filipino. To recall, LTFRB granted earlier this year the reinstatement of the P7.50 minimum fare for jeepneys in Metro Manila and Regions III and IV and set the date for its implementation for July 2. But before the hike could be implemented last July, Malacañang issued Memorandum Order 132 signed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, deferring the implementation of the P7.50 fare, pending a closer study by the NEDA. In the interview, Lantion also assured transport leaders that the government is now doing everything it can to somehow cushion the impact of unabated rise in fuel pump prices, specifically diesel. Lantion claimed they have already sent invitations to the Department of Energy, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Department of Interior and Local Government and NEDA to discuss means to possible ways of mitigating the impact of oil price hikes on the public transport sector. Despite LTFRB’s indication that the reinstatement of the old minimum fare is forthcoming, jeepney operators are still unhappy. Efren de Luna, president of the Association of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO) said this increase falls way short of the amount petitioned by various jeepney operators’s groups. "There is no reason to be happy with the announcement... The P7.50 rate is the original fare given to us by the LTFRB when it approved our petition for a fare increase almost two years ago," De Luna said. "What we want is for the government to come up with solution that will address three major issues that have been affecting the operation not only of the jeepney but all legitimate public vehicles," he added. De Luna cited three major issues that required immediate solution, including the weekly fuel prices increase being implemented by the oil companies, the limiting traffic ordinances of local government units, and the additional fees being collected by the Land Transportation Office. Public transport operators have earlier threatened to launch a nationwide transport holiday in November to show their disappointment over the government's failure to address their problems. - GMANews.TV