LOCAL drivers and operators warned that they will join a nationwide protest if the Department of Transportation (DOTr) pushes through with its plan to implement a fare rollback on public utility vehicles, Diego Malacad, secretary-general of United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (Undoc) said Monday, March 20.
Malacad said the government plans to implement the order starting April 1.
Based on a memorandum issued by the DOTr, the discounted fares will cover traditional and modern jeepneys as well as buses and UV Express.
A P3 fare rollback will be implemented for traditional jeepneys, from 12 to P9, and modern jeepneys, from P14 to P11.
Malacad said if there is already a memorandum, they have to follow it, but if the government is only doing a mind-setting by coming out with media reports, they will not yet abide.
Malacad pointed out that the P9 fare was the rate before the Covid-19 pandemic, when the price of diesel was only P44 per liter.
"The diesel price should be from P45 to P50 per liter so we can afford that rate reduction," Malacad stressed.
At present, the price of diesel is from P58 to P60 per liter, he added.*