LTFRB GETS 2ND PLEA FOR P 2 FARE INCREASE

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has set aside the petition filed by transport groups for a P1 rush-hour fare hike after a new P2 fare increase petition was submitted to them.

“The LTFRB will still, however, resolve the first petition while prioritizing the most recent one filed due to oil price hike,” it said in a statement on Tuesday.

To alleviate the impact of rising fuel prices, transport groups earlier proposed a surge fee of P1 for the jeepney base fare and P2 to the city bus fare during rush hours, or between 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This petition, according to LTFRB, has not been rejected but rather set aside as four transport organizations submitted a new request on Aug. 11 asking for a P2 fare increase in public transport services nationwide.

The groups include the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators

sa Pilipinas, Pagkakaisa ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide, Stop & Go Transport Coalition, and the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines.

In their letter, the organizations told LTFRB chair Teofilo Guadiz III the fare increase was necessary to ensure the provision of “safe and comfortable transport services” to the public.

In an earlier statement on Monday, Guadiz said the agency would look into the appeal of the transport group to increase the fare for public utility jeepneys by P2 for every four kilometers.

Guadiz added many factors must be considered in reviewing the fare hike petitions and requests.

“These factors should have to be carefully studied, reviewed and validated by the Board before we can allow any fare hikes. We understand the urgency of the situation and that is why the Board will convene to determine if the fare hike request has merit,” Guadiz said.