PUV fares to reduce in January, says Iway
Congressman confident LTFRB will grant his petition
REP. Manuel Iway (Negros Oriental) yesterday said he is confident that his petition to reduce taxi, jeepney and bus fares will be granted by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in January.
Iway based his observation on the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) last week denying the petition filed by 1-United Transport Koalisyon (1-Utak) Party-List for the High Court to stop LTFRB from reducing the fares of public utility vehicles (PUVs).
In its decision, the CA 13th Division ruled that the 1-Utak petition for certiorari and prohibition was premature because its motion for reconsideration of the reduction of fare was still
Cebu has 5,137 taxi units, majority of which use LPG, which is sold at P26 per liter
pending with the LTFRB.
The CA decision was penned by Justice Normandie Pizarro and concurred by division members Justices Samuel Gaerlan and Ma. Luisa Quijano-Padilla.
They noted that the Supreme Court had consistently ruled that all available administrative remedies must be exhausted first before going to court.
The LTFRB ordered the reduction of taxi flag down rate from P40 to P30 effective March 9, 2015 but that there’s no need to recalibrate taxi meters because the decrease was temporary. The March order also did not include the reduction of fare rate per succeeding meters.
So, Iway pursued his petition. This time, he wants the recalibration of taxi meters not only for the flagdown rate from P40 to P30 but also from P3.50 to P2.50 per succeeding 300 meters.
Diesel
Iway who is presently in Japan, told Sun.Star Cebu that diesel fuel is now very cheap at P23 per liter compared to the time the LTFRB raised the flagdown rate to P40 when it was P52 per liter.
Cebu has 5,137 taxi units, majority of which are using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is sold at P26 per liter.
Iway said this is also the reason why he wants LTFRB to reduce jeepney fare from P7.50 to P6 for the first five kms., as well as the bus fares.
Iway, a former LTFRB board member based in Cebu before he became congressman, said that reducing PUV fares is necessary so people can benefit from cheap fuels which transport operators and drivers have been enjoying for a long time now.
LTFRB Board Member Antonio Enrile Inton told Sun.star Cebu that they will soon decide on Iway’s petition.
He said that although they are making decisions based on LTFRB rules, they are considering the best interest of the riding public.