P0.50 PUJ fare hike pushed

CEBU, Philippines - A transport group is seeking P0.50 increase in the minimum fare for public utility jeepney.

A formal petition seeking to increase the P7.50 current minimum fare to P8 will be filed next week before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, said Ryan Benjamin Yu, chairman of the Cebu Integrated Transport Services Cooperative (CITRASCO).

Yu, who also chairs the Cebu Confederation of Transport Operators and Drivers Inc., said he will be meeting within the week the other transport leaders to agree on a consolidated fare hike petition.

As jeepney operator, Yu said they have already felt the rising cost of spare parts especially tires and continual increase in fuel prices.

According to Yu, the operators would have wanted to raise the PUJ rental but they could not do so without asking for a fare increase.

“Dili mi maka increase sa abangan sa jeepney kung dili sad mapatas-an ang pletehan,” Yu said in an interview with The FREEMAN.

Yu yesterday went to the LTFRB office to inform regional director Ahmed Cuizon of their plan.

The LTFRB granted a P1 provisional increase in the minimum fare early this year instead of disposing off a pending fare hike petition filed by CITRASCO in 2009.

In August of 2009, CITRASCO and the Alyansa sa Nagkahiusang Drayber-Operator Alang sa Reporma or ANDAR filed a petition for P1.50 fare increase. The petition remains pending at the LTFRB-7 because the agency then opted to grant a provisional increase of P1. — (FREEMAN)