THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Western Visayas is instructing drivers and operators of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) in Negros Occidental to implement the 50-centavo provisional fare reduction starting today.
LTFRB-W Visayas Director Romulo Bernardes said Sunday that the new fare is P6.50 for regular passengers and P5 for students, elderly, and persons with disabilities.
“There’s no reason for them not to implement the rollback. We have conducted consultations and public hearings,” he added.
Bernardes also reminded the drivers and operators to prepare coins for change.
The series of rollbacks in the prices of diesel, which is mainly used by PUJs, and gasoline has prompted the LTFRB to conduct a series of consultations for PUJ fare rate reduction.
At present, the price of diesel has dropped to at least P18 per liter.
Moreover, Bernardes said they are still waiting for the decision on the proposed rollback in taxi fare.
The current flag down rate is P40 although a P10 discount is given to passengers, which is not usually followed by taxi drivers.
Once there is a decision, the LTFRB-W Visayas will issue an order to re-calibrate the meters of all taxi units in the region, Bernardes said.
Meanwhile, the LTFRB office in Bacolod City will move to its new office today at the Bays Center from its previous location inside the City Health Office compound on Galo BBB street.
Reservations on fare cut
In a related development, Jessie Ortega, secretary-general of Sentro ng Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator sa Negros (SSTONE), said they agreed to the fare rate reduction although they have reservations considering that within the week, there might be an oil price increase.
“We agreed but with the condition that the fare rollback will only be temporary or probationary in nature. It should not exceed 50 centavos, and for the LTFRB to revert the fare rate when the crude reaches P25 per liter. But these are still subject to the approval of the LTFRB," he said.
Ortega added that the lack of 50-centavo coins will somehow bring down the P6.50 regular fare to P6.
“We hope the passengers will be ready with their 50-centavo coins so that the regular rollback fare will really be P6.50, not P6 which is to the detriment of the drivers and operators,” he said.
He added that the senior citizen and student discounts are even shouldered by the drivers and operators.
“We have not even received a subsidy for this which is supposed to be shouldered or provided by the national government based on the law granting 20 percent discount to senior citizens and students,” Ortega said.
For her part, Elizabeth Katalbas, president of Federation of Bacolod City Drivers Association (Febacda), said they are supporting and implementing the fare rollback also on a probationary or temporary basis.
She added that when the time comes the fare cost will return to P7 again, they hope the operators will no longer be charged P500 for the new fare matrix.