LTFRB, transport sector to meet on fare rollback

CEBU - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is calling jeepney transport groups and the petitioners of the fare rollback to a dialogue tomorrow to discuss the temporary fare guidelines.

LTFRB regional director Romulo Bernardes told The FREEMAN yesterday after their conference in Manila that Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas will have a fare reduction of 50 centavos for the first five kilometers, not in the first four kilometers like in Manila.

However, since the LTFRB board of directors approved only a 10-centavo reduction in every succeeding kilometer, Bernardes said that the 50 centavos may be reduced further to 25 centavos.

“I will call for a dialogue with the transport groups and the petitioner about this development kay gamay ra kaayo nang 10 centavos. Maybe we can round it off to 25 centavos,” Bernardes said.

As for the removal of the P10 add-on rate for taxis, Bernardes said this will push through as scheduled effective December 15.

As for the bus sector, Bernardes said he will call for a separate dialogue with the bus operators.

Bernardes said that although the LTFRB has mandated a reduction of 50 centavos for the first five kilometers and another reduction of 10 centavos for every succeeding kilometer, bus operators in Cebu have been undercharging.

“Kaning undercharging dili gyud unta ni siya pwede. Pero if it benefits the passengers, piyungan na lang sa balaud,” he added.

 Nick Villahermosa, adviser and former president of the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association, said that they will be having a meeting on this matter within the week considering that buses in Cebu are not actually implementing the rate as approved by LTFRB. Villahermosa said that Cebu is only implementing P8.50 for the first five kilometers although the authorized rate of LTFRB is P9.50.

While the succeeding kilometer rate approved by LTFRB is P1.40, they opted to implement only P1.20 per kilometer.

Cebu currently has 400 buses plying routes in the southern and northern parts of the province. —Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/BRP (THE FREEMAN)