Bus fare adjustment officials, operators sign pact

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and the bus and mini bus operators in the province together with the regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas yesterday signed a memorandum of agreement to implement the 2008 prescribed fare matrix.

The MOA would allow the bus and mini bus operators to collect the P8.50 minimum fare for the first five kilometers and P1.40 for every succeeding kilometer thereafter.

The fare rates are relatively old because it was granted by the LTFRB in 2008 yet. However, the operators, because of stiff competition, did not collect it. They instead signed a MOA also with Garcia and the LTFRB allowing them to undercharge.

The operators, at present, are only collecting P6 minimum fare and P1.20 for every succeeding kilometer.

The spate of fuel price hikes recently prompted the operators to ask for the reinstatement of the 2008 fare matrix instead of petitioning for fare increase.

LTFRB-7 director Ahmed Cuizon said they will endorse the MOA to the LTFRB main office today.

While the public is also suffering the brunt brought about by the series of price increases in oil and other commodities, Cuizon called on them to also understand the plight of the transport groups.

“Let’s think of them as among the victims of oil price increase. Ba-lansehon nato ang sitwasyon ug hunahunaon sad nato ang interest sa uban para sa kaayohan sa tanan (let us balance the situation and also think of the interest of the others for the common good),” he said.

Cuizon said that the bus and mini-bus operators are, in fact, considerate enough for only asking P8.50 instead of P9, which was originally planned as fare rate way back in 2008.

Garcia also asked the operators present in the MOA signing to approve the proposal, as she cited the current P48 price of crude per liter compared to last 2008’s P38.

The governor said she will tap the help of the Land Transportation Office to implement the new fare matrix as soon as the LTFRB in Manila approved it.

Around 40 members of the Cebu Province Bus Operators Association (CPBOA) and Cebu South Mini Bus Operators’ Association (CSMBOA) joined the MOA signing yesterday.

Both CPBOA president Richard Corominas and CSMBOA president Julito Flores called on their members to commit to implementing the new fare adjustment.

After a thorough discussion with his members, Flores said they have decided to go with the implementation of the 2008 fare matrix instead of asking for a new fare hike following the 50-centavo provisional increase granted by the LTFRB to jeepneys. (FREEMAN)