THE May 21 implementation of the P0.50 provisional fare increase for passenger jeepneys and buses nationwide was postponed after the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) sought to conduct further study on its implication.
The study will also include the impact of several “government support mechanisms” on drivers and operators who are clamoring for the fare increase.
Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza said yesterday the order was already relayed to Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Thompson Lantion.
The LTFRB is an agency attached to DOTC along with Land Transportation Office (LTO), Cebu Port Authority, Philippine Ports Authority, Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority, among others.
LTFRB 7 Director Romulo Bernardes confirmed the deferment but clarified that it may yet be implemented this week if given the green light by the Cabinet, which will tackle the issue in a meeting in Panglao, Bohol today.
“That’s all I can say based on the instruction of my superiors. Please understand this limited statement,” Bernardes told Sun.Star Cebu.
Transport groups reacted by denouncing the flip-flopping of the LTFRB on the issue and threatened to mount protests in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.
Subsidy
The support mechanisms announced by the government earlier include the additional P2 per liter subsidy on fuel for public transport, access to government-subsidized rice, and tax exemption on spare parts.
Mendoza expects that the distribution of low-priced rice to bus and jeepney drivers would help them cope with the rising prices of oil.
The support mechanisms, however, will still be presented to the National Economic and Development Authority, which will decide if these are feasible.
The LTFRB announced the provisional fare increase on Sunday and had set its implementation on Wednesday.
Protest
Efren de Luna, head of the Philippine Confederation of Drivers and Operators-Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (PCDO-Acto), said they are surprised by the order to defer the fare hike.
He said they have initially scheduled next month a transport strike that would be “nationwide” in scope and whose length will depend on the situation and on what the transport groups will agree on.
The provisional increase itself even failed to appease local transport groups like the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo, which is pushing for a P1.50 hike in minimum fare.
“Hapit kada semana mag-increase sila sa krudo unya kami increasan lang og singkwenta sentabos (They increase the price of crude by P1 almost every week and they will only give us a 50-centavo hike)?” jeepney driver Henry Restauro asked.
“Kaniadto and sing-kwenta sentabos naa pay kantidad. Pero karon gamay ra nang kantidara (Fifty centavos before had bigger value but now that amount is small),” bus driver Norman Lomokso said.
Discount
But lawyer and former LTO regional director Manuel Iway opposes any fare increase in Region 7 because the drivers of public utility vehicles have refused to give 20 percent discount to senior citizens and students as mandated by law.
“It is only in Central Visayas that drivers are not giving discounts to senior citizens and students. This discounts went to the drivers’ pockets,” Iway added.
He said senior citizens and students compose 72 percent of commuters.
Iway also considered the provisional fare hike as illegal because no public hearing was conducted on it as required by law.
Chiramae Metoda, 16, who takes four to five jeepney rides a day, said that with the fare increase, money for her other needs will be lessened.
Others, like student Hazel Kiunisala and college professor Teresa Atienza considered the fare increase acceptable considering the rise in the prices of petroleum products. (Sunnex/EOB with STC Masscom Interns Strawberry Yap and Tawny Estolloso)
