CEBU, Philippines - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 has already scheduled for public hearing the P1.50 fare hike petition filed by the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Multipurpose Cooperative.
The public hearing is set on April 11 at 10:00 a.m. at the Cebu Normal University. The LTFRB also scheduled in Manila on April 12 the petition filed by the taxi operators to increase the flag down rate by P10.
LTFRB-7 officials urged the public to attend the public hearing and let their voices be heard.
CITRASCO is seeking for an additional P1.50 in the minimum fare citing the series of fuel price increases for the past several months.
CITRASCO chairman Ryan Benjamin Yu said that spiraling prices of fuel is also affecting the prices of the other products appurtenant to their operation.
Yu mentioned in their petition the diesel pump price which is now averaging at P47.50 per liter.
“The petitioner finds it imperative that an increase be made on the current minimum fare for PUJ service in Region VII wherein it proposes an increase of P1.50 or fixing the same at P9.00 for the first five kilometers,” the petition reads.
PUJ operators however were given a temporary relief after they were granted P0.50 provisional increase since last week. The provisional increase is effective until the LTFRB resolves the pending fare hike petition.
Because of the provisional increase, PUJ drivers are now collecting P8 minimum fare from P7.50.
Several commuters interviewed by The FREEMAN expressed apprehensions that, should the LTFRB grant the petition the minimum fare would actually go up as much as P10 because most of the drivers are no longer giving change.
“Pilay pusta ang pletehan unya nato mahimo na nang ten pesos kay kanang mga drivers di gyud na mutarong og sukli. Parehas sa una, P7.50 ang pletehan pero tabla ra nga P8 ang plete kay di man na sila manukli og 50 centavos (I bet the fare would be ten pesos because the drivers are not giving change),” Ariel Kahagsad, a waiter said.
Other commuters interviewed inside the jeepney have nothing to say but to agree with Kahagsad. (FREEMAN)