LTFRB to hold weekly hearings on fare hike petitions amid rise in fuel prices

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will hold a series of hearings and public consultations starting next week to tackle requests to increase the fare for public utility vehicles (PUVs).

In a statement on Wednesday, the LTFRB cited the recent series of increases in the prices of fuel products and maintenance costs that prompted transport groups to file several fare hike petitions.

“We will be holding two hearings next week to discuss all the issues surrounding the petitions for fare increase. And we will be holding weekly hearings in relation to the matter after that,” said LTFRB chair Vigor Mendoza II.

He said this is line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to “strike a balance between the welfare of the commuters and those in the transport sector.”

Mendoza noted that while the LTFRB has been looking for ways to prevent an increase in PUV fares as this will have an effect on inflation, the series of oil price hikes in the past weeks “opened the door anew for the discussion on the petitions.”

“Drivers and operators are really at a disadvantage in the prevailing fare matrix. The arguments they raised in the petition are valid and really represent the realities on the ground for those in the transport sector,” he said.

The last approved fare hike – a P1 provisional increase – was in October 2023.

Since then, transport groups have been lobbying for fare increases not just for jeepneys, but for buses and taxis as well.

Earlier this week, transport group Pasang Masda sought a P1 provisional fare hike amid successive increases in prices of petroleum products.

“We understand that any increase in fares affects the daily lives of commuters who rely on jeepneys for affordable transportation but we must also ensure that our drivers and operators can not only sustain safe and reliable services amid rising costs, but are also able to provide for the needs of their families,” Mendoza said.

“Rising costs affect us all, but the government needs to make sure that all sectors of society are able to cope with them,” he added.

The LTFRB said it will invite as many experts as possible to provide more insights on the fare hike petition, particularly on its effects on the economy.

Consultations will be also made with concerned government agencies, particularly the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) to come up with a win-win solution for commuters and the transport sector. — JMA, GMA Integrated News