THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Davao Region announced on Wednesday that the P30 flagdown rate for taxicabs will be permanent starting on March 19.
LTFRB-Davao assistant director Edgar Violan said the taxicabs in the region will charge a P30 flagdown rate with P3.50 for every succeeding 500 meters and P3.50 for a waiting time per 90 seconds.
"Instead of the P11.60 additional fare from flagdown rate for every succeeding 1,000 meters or one kilometer, it will now become P7 na lang. This, after the units will be calibrated," Violan said.
Violan said the new rate for the succeeding meters and the waiting time will take effect upon calibration and resealing of the taxi meter.
He said the reduction on flagdown rate will take effect 10 days from publication of the order in national newspapers even without calibration and resealing of the taxi meter.
Violan said schedule for the calibration and resealing of taxi meters is set next month. He also said that taxi operators shoulder the calibration cost which is P250 per unit.
He added that calibration of the taxi meter for plates ending in 2, 4 and 9 will be in April, then plates ending in 0, 5 and 7 would come next in May, and plates ending in 1, 3, 6 and 8 will be in June.
"By July 1, all units must have been calibrated and resealed. The operators should follow the schedule because once di sila nakapa-calibrate on the scheduled month provided for them, we will arrest them," Violan said.
Violan said taxi operators who failed to calibrate and reseal their taxi meters will no longer be allowed to operate and will be penalized P5,000.
"For the meantime, regardless of the recalibration and resealing for the permanent flagdown rate, the less down P10 is still ongoing haban ginaayos pa natin lahat," Violan said.
The LTFRB decided to approve the new rate based on the recommendation of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and National Economic and Development Authority.