Tom offers talks to avert P1.50 jeepney fare hike

To save his constituents from a possible fare hike, Mayor Tomas Osmeña is willing to sit down with jeepney drivers to discuss possible remedies and compromises.

More than anything else, the mayor is most concerned that an increase of fare price will affect students going to school, a concern he recently displayed when he opposed the declaration of holiday during boxing champion Manny Pacquiao's homecoming.

Osmeña said an increase will be "unfair" and "bad" for students, thus, he is willing to sit down with jeepney drivers to discuss possible remedies.

Jeepney drivers are eyeing a possible P1.50 increase in fare to cope with the increase of fuel prices triggered by the 12 percent Expanded Value Added Tax implemented last February 1. The Nagkahiusang Drayber Alang sa Sugbu intends to file a petition with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board within the month.

The mayor said he is willing to consider all possibilities of compromise including blocking private vehicles from the road during peak hours so that jeepneys will have more passengers. Another possible option would be providing gasoline as subsidy for jeepney drivers.

Osmeña said drivers should understand that what he will be doing is a political design but he is willing to sit with them so that things can be "done properly". He said he is personally against the increase of fare price but the same is anticipated as a reaction to the effects of E-VAT.

The minimum fare in the city is P6 but the drivers here said they would want to catch up with their counterparts in Manila so that a uniform P7.50 fare would be applied in the regions. NADSU has 8,000 members plying routes in Cebu City, Mandaue, and other parts of northern Cebu. - Joeberth M. Ocao