Bus operators, Capitol officials to meet today

The Cebu Provincial Bus and Minibus Operators Cooperative (CPBMOC) is seeking to terminate the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) it entered into with the Capitol so it can collect the fare approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board(LTFRB).

A dialogue will be held today between the bus operators and the provincial government officials.

Back in 2013, the group signed a MOA with the provincial government stating that it will only collect P5 base fare and P1 for every succeeding kilometer instead of the P6 minimum and P1.20 per succeeding kilometer prescribed by the LTFRB.

With the implementation of Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), the group now wishes to call the deal off.

Julito Flores, president of the CPBMOC, said that the price of the fuel back when they signed the agreement was only around P30 per liter. Nowadays, the fuel price is over P40 per liter. Given this scenario, the group members want to raise the fare.

To discuss with the CPBMOC members, a representative from the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) and the Provincial Legal Office (PLO) will meet with the group today.

Originally, the group requested to talk with Governor Hilario Davide III but he cannot meet with the operators because he has another scheduled activity in northern Cebu.

Davide, however, said he is amenable with the bus operators collecting the prescribed fare so long as the discount for students, persons with disability (PWD), and senior citizens will remain.

Flores said they have no problem with the governor's suggestion since the aforementioned discounts are also mandated by law.