Fare hike hearing scheduled for October 2
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 had set on October 2, 10 a.m., the public hearing on the petitions to increase the minimum fare of public utility jeepneys.
The public hearing will tackle the requests of Cebu Integrated Transport Service Multi-purpose Cooperative (CITRASCO), which seeks a hike of P1, and of the Basak Lapu-Lapu City Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association Inc.National Confederation of Transportworkers UnionVisayas, which seeks a P1.50 increase. Both petitions were filed last April.
CITRASCO chairman and general manager Benjamin Yu was supposed to file an amendment of their petition next week to also raise the proposed increase to P1.50.
"Needed na ang increase. If I will file an amendment, madugay og samot," he said.
To recall, the minimum jeepney fare in Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas was reduced to P6.50 from P7 starting February 8, 2016 after the LTFRB granted a provisional P.50 fare reduction.
Drivers, however, have ignored the decrease, collecting P7 as minimum fare and P14 instead of P13 as fare for two people.
PUJs plying the Apas route in Cebu City, in particular, are also overcharging passengers, collecting P10 from mostly call center workers who disembark at the IT Park when the fare should supposedly be just P8.50.
The LTFRB-7 order signed by Atty. Edwin Antepuesto stated that petitioners shall cause the publication of the notice of hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in Central Visayas at least 15 days prior to the date of hearing.
The order added that petitioners shall likewise submit proof to the Office of the Solicitor General a copy of the petition and the notice of hearing.
The order further said that parties opposed to the petition shall file their opposition within 10 days from the date of publication of the notice of hearing.
The fare hike petitioners cited the rising cost of fuel as well as rising prices of vehicle engine and accessories as reasons why they seek an increase in fare.
They also said as reasons the worsening traffic condition in Metro Cebu, and that the daily take home earning of jeepney drivers have become lower than the prevailing minimum daily wage in the region.