Fare rollback starts Monday

CEBU, Philippines - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board announced yesterday that starting this Monday, the minimum fare in public utility jeepneys in Central Visayas will be P6.50. This after its head office in Manila approved the 50 centavos rollback in fare yesterday.

LTFRB regional director Romulo Bernardes is appealing to the transport groups to reconsider their stand in opposing the said fare reduction.

“I am appealing to the transport group to also consider the plight of the commuters,” Bernardes said.

Bernardes said that even if the transport groups have expressed their opposition to any fare rollback, he cannot just reject the clamor of the other sectors, like the students and senior citizens, for fare cut.

Bernardes also said that he wants a P1 fare rollback but since around 10,000 jeepney units in Region VII are still using gasoline, which is higher than the price of diesel per liter, he settled instead for a 50-centavo fare cut.

Hence, starting Monday, the minimum fare in PUJs in the region will be P6.50 from P7. While for students, senior citizens and the differently abled, PUJ minimum fare will be P5.20 or this can be rounded off to P5.

Commuters have expressed varied reactions to the move. Some jeepney passengers interviewed by The FREEMAN yesterday said that a 50-centavo fare rollback is too small considering that the prices of fuel have been going down since last year.

Other PUJ passengers, however, said that a P0.50 fare reduction is “much better than nothing”. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)