DOTr opposes fare hike, urges PUV drivers to get subsidies instead

The Department of Transportation has expressed its disapproval of the petitions to increase the fare in public transports, believing that fare hike would escalate the inflation rate in the Philippines.

During the President’s Talk to the People aired Wednesday, Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade acknowledged the statement of Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Karl Kendrick Chua that increasing the minimum jeepney fare and minimum wage would mean an increase in the country's inflation rate to 5.1%.

“Kaya nga ang posisyon ng Department of Transportation ngayon ay hindi magtaas ng fare. Kasi ‘yung impact ng fare hike ay ipinakita ni Secretary Karl kanina, tatamaan ‘yung tinatawag natin na inflation rate,” Tugade said.

(The position of the Department of Transportation now is not to raise the fare because a fare hike, as shown by Secretary Karl earlier, will have an impact on the inflation rate.)

“Ang position namin, wag kayong magtaas ng fare, ng mga pamasahe, tanggapin ang ayuda, gamitin ‘yung subsidiya.” he added.

(Our position is not to raise the fares, instead the drivers should accept the aid and use the subsidy.)

Several groups of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators have filed a petition for fare increase in light of the series of fuel price hikes due to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict.

To help alleviate their plight, the government started this week the distribution of P6,500 fuel subsidies to over 377,000 qualified PUV drivers and operators.

A total of P2.5 billion was allocated to the Fuel Subsidy Program of the DOTr which was released last week.

Of this P2.5 billion budget, Tugade reported that P1.75 billion or 70% will be allocated to the public utility vehicles under Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB); P625 million or 25% to tricycles with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG); and the remaining P125 million or 5% to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) delivery services.

The distribution to public utility jeepneys and buses was set from March 14 to 18.

Meanwhile, subsidies for UV express, taxis, shuttles, tourists, and technology and app-based transport network vehicle service (TNVS) would be given between March 14 to 25.

“Aaminin ko po na ‘yung ayudang binibigay natin ngayon ay hindi eksaktamento todo todo. Kulang pa rin ho ‘yan, kailangang repasuhin kaya nga tayo may second tranche sa April. Ganon din ho 'yung sistema ng distribution sa second tranche,” Tugade added.

(I admit that the subsidy we are giving now is not exactly enough. It is still lacking, thus it needs to be reviewed that’s why we have a second tranche in April. The distribution system in the second tranche is the same as the first one.)—AOL, GMA News