Looming fuel price hike stalls LTFRB ruling

CEBU, Philippines - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board would not be able to resolve the fare hike petition filed by the Cebu Integrated Transport Services Cooperative (CITRASCO) just yet.

The petition was filed almost five months ago, but LTFRB Regional Director Romulo Bernardes said resolution of the petition may be delayed much longer, especially with the impending increase in the prices of fuel. Bernardes said he learned of the impending fuel price hike just recently.

In a separate interview, however, Department of Energy Regional Director Antonio Labios said the DOE head office in Manila has not yet forwarded any information about an impending fuel price hike.

During its Regional Director’s Conference earlier, the LTFRB agreed that all fare hike petitions filed by different transport groups nationwide would be consolidated.

More than five fare hike petitions were filed last year nationwide, one of which is petition filed by CITRASCO.

Bernardes said the three members of the LTFRB board - chairman Alberto Suansing and members Gerardo Capili and Maria Ellen Dirige-Cabatu - will issue the decision on the petitions.

CITRASCO, through its chairman Ryan Benjamin Yu, has filed an urgent motion asking LTFRB 7 to immediately rule on their P1 fare adjustment petition, which was filed last August 18, 2009.

The August 18 petition proposes for a P1 fare increase in the minimum fare in jeepneys, making it P7.50 from the current P6.50.

Various sectors, however, opposed the petition, including the urban poor, students and senior citizens. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO   (FREEMAN NEWS)