CITRASCO to ask for P3.50 increase in PUJ fare

The Cebu Integrated Transport Service Multi-purpose Cooperative (CITRASCO) will be filing a petition on Friday seeking to increase the minimum fare for public utility jeepneys (PUJs) by P3.50.

"P3.50 lang ang among ipasaka aron pud dili kaayo bug-at sa mga pasahero," said Ryan Yu, general manager of CITRASCO.

Should Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) -7 approve CITRASCO's petition, minimum fare for PUJs will be P10.

CITRASCO is not seeking any increase on fare rates for succeeding kilometers.

To recall, CITRASCO, the biggest transport cooperative in the Visayas, was supposed to seek a P6 increase in jeepney's minimum fare.

"Pero sa among tan-aw daku ra gyud kaayo ang P6.00 nga increase. Bug-at na kaayo sa mga pasahero ang P12.50 nga minimum fare. Mao na nga nakahukom mi nga P10 lang gyud," Yu said.

The Basak-Lapulapu City Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (BALACJODA) has already filed an amended fare hike petition before the LTFRB-7 asking for an increase of P5.50 for minimum fare of PUJs in Central Visayas.

BALACJODA in its three-page petition said it is amending its previous fare hike petition of P1.50 increase amidst the rising cost of fuel and with the implementation of the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

Should LTFRB-7 approve BALACJODA's petition, the minimum fare for jeepneys will be P12.

L. Palaubsanon/JBB