LTFRB okays hike in region’s PUJ fare

OUCH AGAIN! A commuter pays her fare to a public vehicle driver. The Land Transportation Franchise Regulatory Board has given northern Mindanao jeepney drivers the green light to charge passengers a minimum fare of P7.50 from P6.50. photo by bobby lagsa

By LITO RULONA,
BOBBY LAGSA
Correspondents
and MARK FRANCISCO
Staff member

THE minimum jeepney fare anywhere in the region is now P7.50. The Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) yesterday gave jeepney owners and drivers in northern Mindanao the green light to collect P1 more from commuters used to paying a minimum fare of P6.50. LTFRB director for Region 10 Mandangan Darimbang said the regulatory board does not really see the new fare as an increase. He said it was merely the implementation of a July 2008 order for new jeepney fares. In 2008, organized jeepney owners asked the LTFRB to suspend the implementation of the fare increase, he said. Because of that, Darimbang said the minimum jeepney fare had remained at P6.50 with an additional P1.50 for every succeeding kilometer.

This year, Darimbang said, jeepney owners, through their organizations, asked LTFRB to implement the 2008 order due to increasing fuel and spare parts costs. He said only the minimum fare for the first five kilometers would be adjusted. Commuters are not to pay more than P1 for every succeeding kilometer, he said. "Kung P10 ang normal fare rate nimo before, mahimo lamang kini nga P11," Darimbang said. Darimbang said the LTFRB would no longer issue a new fare matrix because this was done in 2008. But he asked owners and drivers of public jeepneys to post an announcement in jeepneys about the P7.50-minimum fare.

National Confederation of Transport Union regional coordinator Joel Gabatan said P7.50 is not enough. He asked LTFRB to consider raising the minimum fare to P8 just like in Metro Manila. Gabatan argued that the price of fuel in Region 10 is higher compared to many Luzon provinces. Darimbang, meanwhile, asked jeepney owners and drivers to wait for the LTFRB in Manila to send official copies of the directive before collecting more from commuters. He said the new fare would officially be in effect after the LTFRB here receives official copies of the order.

view article at Gold Star Daily News