Thursday, October 12, 2006 LTFRB to grant rollback if diesel hits P34-P35 level
FUEL prices must go down some more before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 will consider a rollback in fare rates, said Director Rogelio Osmeña.
He said diesel fuel’s pump price should go down to the P34 to P35 level before he considers granting fare reduction.
As of Oct. 6, diesel price is P35.58 per liter.
“Kadtong paghatag nato’g increase nga piso sa una, mao man tong naabot na ang presyo og P36,” said Osmeña, referring to the P1-fare increase last year.
LTFRB Manila has proposed to lower fare rates after four 50-centavo reduction in fuel prices.
Transport groups objected to the proposal, arguing that the series of fuel price rollbacks is not enough to merit a fare rate-reduction.
Resolution
But Cebu City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem will submit a resolution to the City Council asking the LTFRB to seriously study the feasibility of lowering fare rates.
Jakosalem is chairman of the council committee on energy, transportation, communication, and other utilities.
He believes LTFRB should study the possibility considering the reduction of fuel prices.
Not enough
But he admitted that the decrease in fuel prices is not enough to reduce the fare by P1.
A check with Petron Corp. showed that as of last Oct. 6, premium gasoline is pegged at P40.96 per liter. The price of unleaded is P40.36, the regular is P37.77 and kerosene, P37.81.
For his part, Mayor Tomas Osmeña declined to comment on the proposal, saying he is not in a position to measure its financial impact on the jeepney drivers.
The mayor said that it’s difficult to say what fare would be enough for the public, as people will always say their income is not enough.
“I’ve never seen someone who says I have enough money” the mayor said. (RHM)
