Wednesday, August 04, 2004 Jeep fares fixed: P5 for first 5 kms.
CEBU CITY -- Commuters now only need to pay P5 as minimum jeepney fare. The amount covers five kilometers and for each succeeding kilometer, 70 centavos is added.
Before, the minimum fare was P5.50 for the first four kilometers and P1 for each succeeding kilometer. But commuters complained that the increase approved last May almost doubled the jeepney fare, especially in areas that covered long distances.
After weeks of wrangling over the increase, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) finally came up with fare rates acceptable to both jeepney drivers and the riding public.
For students, senior citizens and persons with disability, the minimum fare remains P4.
The flagdown rate for taxi stays at P25 and P2 per succeeding 200 meters.
But the drivers' groups face another problem: jeepney operators refuse to roll back rental rates, which had been increased when the P5.50 minimum fare was implemented last June 12.
The LTFRB 7 asked jeepney drivers and operators to secure new tariff matrix or they will be apprehended by law enforcement agencies.
Drivers and operators who fail to get the new tariff matrix will be fined P500 per violation.
Last July 9, LTFRB Chairperson Maria Elena Bautista approved the reduction of fares at P5 for the first five kilometers and P0.57 per succeeding kilometer, based on the petition of lawyer Manuel Iway.
This was changed last Monday based on the recommendation of LTFRB 7 Director Benito Dy-Cezar, who is on leave.
Iway said he will monitor the comments of the commuters to find out whether they are amenable to the new fares.
"If the riding public will complain of the new rates within the reglamentary period, I will file a motion for consideration of the new order," Iway said.
Anthony Pogado of the Nagkahiusang Drivers sa Sugbo (Nadsu) and Jaime Moncada of Alyansa sa Nagkahiu-sang Drivers-Operators Alang sa Reporma (Andar) said they will respect the LTFRB decision in the meantime.
Pogado said the problem now is the operators' refusal to rollback the P150 increase in rental they imposed when the fares were raised last June 12.
Pogado said they cannot blame the operators for increasing the boundary from P500 to P650 because the prices of spare parts and tires also went up.
For his part, Moncada said the price of oil increased by 50 centavos a few days ago, but for now, "we honor the fare reduction in the meantime."
The decision to slash the fare rates was penned by Dy-Cezar and concurred and approved by Chairperson Bautista and board member Felix Racadio.
Some drivers Sun. Star interviewed at random Monday agreed that the previous rates were too high for the their passengers.
"Since the increase was implemented last June, we only collected P5. The P5.50 was just too big. We pitied the passengers," said Joel Tejano, a driver of 16 years who plies the Plaza Housing-Carbon route.
For Leah Imperial, a third-year biology student at the Cebu Normal University, the reduction of fare rates would mean real savings for her since she takes three rides to get home from school.
A public hearing to reduce the fare rates was held last July 1 and several groups submitted position papers last July 5.
"A consensus has been clearly arrived at by all parties and transport groups calling for the reduction of the PUJ fare rates ordered under the consolidated decision (dated May 25, 2004)," the decision said.
Under the new rates, the fare from Cebu City Hall to Consolacion (13 kilometers) is P10.50; Liloan (18 kms.), P14; Compostela (20.3 kms.), P16; Lapu-Lapu public market (11.7kms.), P10; and Cordova (19 kms.), P15.
But LTFRB 7 officer-in-charge Douglas Sanson said he has to review the new tariff because these routes will not anymore start from Cebu City Hall but from White Gold Terminal, which is shorter by 2.2 kilometers.
In the Labangon-SM route, the fare from Tisa Elementary School to corner Pier 3 is P5.50 and P7 to SM. From SM to A. Lopez St. in Labangon is P5.50.
It's only P5 from One Citilink Terminal to Jai-Alai, Mambaling Elementary School, corner F. Llamas, Basak Elementary School, Bayanihan Village, F. Jaca (Kinasang-an), Pardo Church, Bulacao Elementary School and corner F. Jaca and Gabuya.
In the other routes, the rates starting from One Citilink are Tabunok, P8; old Talisay City Hall, P9; Minglanilla, P11.50; Naga, P15.50; San Fernando, P22; and Carcar, P29. EOB/CYR/GC
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