Some jeepney drivers already charging P15 minimum fare amid pending petition —transport group exec

An official of a transport group on Tuesday said they received reports that some jeepney drivers are already charging P15 minimum fare even though the petition for fare hike is still pending.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP) president Orlando Marquez said drivers charge P15 minimum fare to make profit amid the fuel price hikes.

“Meron na po dumating sa akin na mga biyahe ng Cubao-Antipolo dahil nga po sa hirap ng kanilang pasada, wala na po silang kinikita dahil malakas kumain ng krudo ang kanilang mga sasakyan dahil sa mahal,” Marquez said when asked on the matter.

(We received reports that some jeepney drivers are charging P15 for minimum fare in the route of Cubao-Antipolo because they are not making profit anymore due to the high price of fuel)

He said their petition for the P15 minimum fare will undergo a hearing this Tuesday.

Marquez slammed Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi for supposedly not facing them amid the struggle of the country due to fuel price hikes and for allegedly serving as spokesperson for oil companies.

“Nakakalungkot dahil itong spokesperson ng mga oil company, simula’t sapul po hindi pa namin nasisilayan ang pagmumukha nitong secretary ng DOE.  Hindi kagaya noong araw na kapag ganitong meron halos linggo-linggo niya kaming kinakausap, ang mga nakaraang sekretaryo,” Marquez said.

(It is saddening because this spokesperson of oil companies, this DOE secretary, we have yet to see his face since the start. Unlike other secretaries in the past who communicated with us almost weekly.)

“Pero dito po sa secretary ng DOE, hindi pa namin nakikita. Kaya 'yan ho 'yung namumulitika yata dahil kapag pulitika ang pag-uusapan, nakikita mo 'yung pagmumukha, pero kapag dito sa kahirapan ng ating buong bansang Pilipinas, hindi mo makikita ang kanyang pagmumukha,” he added.

(But this DOE secretary, we never saw him. That’s because he might be engaging in politics because when the issue is about politics, we see his face, but when it comes to the plight of the Philippines, we don’t see him.)

Asked about the statement of the transport group leader, Cusi said they already asked for more budget for fuel subsidy for operators and drivers.

“In the economic managers meeting yesterday we asked to double the P2.5 billion Pantawid Pasada to P5 billion. The aid to farmers from P500 million to P1.1 billion. The first tranche will be released this month and 2nd tranche in April,” Cusi told GMA News Online in a text message.

Earlier, Cusi ordered expediting the implementation of the DOE strategic petroleum reserve plan — the government’s oil buffer stock — to cushion the impact of price hikes in the domestic market.

“Kailangan natin magkaroon ng strategic storage [facility] kung saan natin ilalagay ang supply, and then magkakaroon po tayo ng system how are we going to dispose these,” Cusi said.

(We need to have a strategic storage facility where we can put the supply, and then create a system of how we are going to dispose of these.)

Meanwhile, due to the series of increases in fuel prices, Marquez said some jeepney operators and drivers decided to stop their operations if the government will not assist them.

“Kahapon nag-urgent Zoom meeting kami sa aming pamunuan ng mula Mindanao hanggang Aparri, Cagayan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Cordillera—'yan  po 'yung pinakamatindi po dahil inaabot na po ng mahigit sitenta na 'yung krudo doon,” he said.

(We had an urgent Zoom meeting yesterday with our  leaders from Mindanao to Aparri, Cagayan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Cordillera—that’s the most affected because the fuel price already reached more than P70 per liter. )

“Kaya ang kanilang sinabi sa akin kahapon ay hindi na lang daw po sa bibiyahe kung ganito na wala namang tulong,”  he added.

(They told yesterday that they will not operate if there will be no assistance.)

Marquez expressed support for reducing the excise tax on fuel. However, he was not in favor of slashing the entire excise tax on fuel, saying the collected revenue will be used for government programs.—AOL, GMA News