P2.50 PUJ fare increase pushed

CEBU, Philippines - Transport groups in Cebu will file a petition asking for a P2.50 increase in the minimum fare of public utility jeepneys to make it P10 from the current P7.50.

Ryan Benjamin Yu, chairman of the Cebu Confederation of Transport Operators and Drivers Inc., said that during their meeting, they agreed to file a petition for a P2.50 fare increase.

“Pero dili pa na final. We will come up with the final fare increase within the week,” said Yu, who is also the chairman of Cebu Integrated Transport Services Cooperative (CITRASCO).

Aside from CITRASCO officials, those who attended the meeting are representatives from Alyansa sa Nagkahiusang Drayber Operator Alang sa Reporma, and route leaders of Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City and Cebu City.

Yu said their final petition could carry an increase of P2.50 or lower, but not higher than P2.50.

He said they know that commuters will oppose their petition for the next round of fare increase. But once the petition is filed, there will be a public hearing to hear the concern of sectors involved.

Yu explained that it is high time for them to increase the minimum fare amidst the rising cost of fuel, spare parts, tires and lubricants.

He said that transport operators will also increase the jeepney rental and repair payment due to those reasons.

“Hasta ang bayad sa mekaniko, nisaka na sad. Panahon na gyud pasakaan namo ang abangan sa jeepney,” Yu said, adding that jeepney drivers could not afford to pay a higher rental without increasing the fare.

CITRASCO still has a pending fare hike petition filed before the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board in 2009.

Instead of coming up with a decision on the petition, the LTFRB granted a P1 provisional fare hike for Central Visayas early this year, making PUJ’s minimum fare from P6.50 to P7.50.

In August of 2009, CITRASCO and ANDAR also filed a petition seeking for a PUJ fare increase from P6.50 to P8.50 or an increase of P1.50 to cope with the rising cost of fuel and spare parts.

Central Visayas has around 10,000 PUJ units, majority of which are in Cebu.

Jeepney’s minimum fare in the region reached to P8 in July 2008 amid the rising cost of fuel but was reduced to P7.50 in August 2008 when prices started to drop.

On December 15, 2008, LTRFB implemented a second round of provisional fare reduction of .50 cents for jeepneys, making it P7 from P7.50, and further reduced it by .50 cents in March 2010, placing the fare at P6.50.

On January 31, 2011, LTFRB approved a P1 provisional fare hike, making the current fare to P7.50.

Although the current minimum fare is P7.50, it has been observed that jeepney drivers collect P8 while passenger opted to pay only P7 due to shortage of .25 cents. -/LPM (FREEMAN)