Rounded off to nearest 75 centavos: Transport groups agree on scheme for extra kms.

CEBU - Although it is still four days away before the rollback of fares would take effect, jeepney drivers can now lower their fare as long as they already have the notice of PUJ general fare guide that were distributed starting yesterday.

“Yes, they can now lower their fares as long as they have the notice,” LTFRB regional director Romulo Bernardes said.

Also yesterday, several transport groups in Cebu agreed to lower the LTFRB-approved fare.

Bernardes said that what the transport groups have agreed is that although there is a reduction of 10 centavos after the first five kilometers, the fare for succeeding kilometer will be reduced to the nearest of the .25 centavos.

Currently the minimum fare for jeepneys is P7.50 for the first five kilometers and P1 for every succeeding kilometer.

LTFRB in Manila approved last week the provisional rollback of the minimum fare to P7 and a reduction of 10 centavos in the rate for the succeeding kilometer.

In Cebu, it was agreed during the dialogue yesterday with Bernardes and representatives of the various transport groups that since the fare for first five kilometers will be P7 and the six-kilometer fare is supposed to be P7.90, it will be made P7.75 instead.

For 7-kilometer trips, the rate should be P8.80, but with the proposal it will be P8.75.

Ryan Benjamin Yu, managing director of Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative (Citrasco) said that as far as his group is concerned, they already started reducing fares for jeepneys and taxis since December 5.

Citrasco has 1,000 jeepney units and 400 taxi units operating in Cebu.

Also effective December 15, Bernardes said that the P10 add-on rate for taxis will be removed, but this will be only until March 15, 2009, depending on the result of the public hearing on the matter on February 18, 2009.

Bus operators in Cebu are also scheduled to have a dialogue with Bernardes today to discuss fare reduction.

Nick Villahermosa, adviser and former president of the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association however earlier said that Cebu is only implementing P8.50 for the first five kilometers although the authorized rate of LTFRB is P9.50.

While for every succeeding kilometer, the LTFRB approved a rate of P1.40, but they opted to implement P1.20 per kilometer only.

Cebu has currently 400 bus units. —Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/NLQ   (THE FREEMAN)