Operators to up fares over new bus ruling

CEBU, Philippines -  Bus operators plying in the southern and northern part of Cebu have agreed in a meeting yesterday to file a reinstatement of the 2011 approved bus fares of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

None among the 32 bus operators under the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association, Cebu South Mini-bus Operators Association and North and South Operators Association opposed the move that, in effect, would increase bus fares.

Julieto Flores, spokesperson of the three transport groups, said that they expect to file the petition on Thursday. Their lawyer was the one who drafted the petition.

The group wanted to implement an P8.50 hike for the first five kilometers and P1.45 for the succeeding kilometers, something the LTFRB approved few years ago.

However, due to stiff competitions, bus operators opted to implement a fare of P6 for the first five kilometers and P1.20 for the succeeding kilometers, which was also approved by the LTFRB board in 2011.

Flores, also the president of CSMBOA, said that LTFRB’s requirement that compels them to acquire brand new buses as a replacement to those more than 15 years old, is a big burden on their part considering that it would cost them around P4.5 million to acquire a brand new bus.

LTFRB has issued resolution number 2013-001 last Jan. 11, 2013, which  mandated the strict observance nationwide of the 15-year age limit of buses and mini-buses even if the units were issued a certificate of road worthiness from the Motor Vehicle Inspection Section.

By October this year, at the time of the bus registration, Flores said more than 30 percent of the existing 600 buses will have been more than 15 years old.

“Ang mahitabo ani, i-grahe na lang gyud na nga mga (old) buses unya mapugos mi og baligya sa among mga franchise sa mga dagkong bus company kay sila man ang maka afford og pagpalit sa mga brand new nga mga buses,” he said.

Flores added that time will come when the bus business in Cebu and other parts of the country will be monopolized by the big ones, which in effect,  will further increase bus fares as there won’t be more stiff competition.

“So ang mo-suffer ani, ang mga pasahero ra gihapon. Kay wala na man unyay kumpetisyon sa pletehan,” he added.

The same transport groups have likewise made an appeal two weeks to LTFRB in Manila to stop the implementation of the said resolution as they are  not yet ready for the modernization program.

They requested LTFRB to give them another five years or until 2018 to comply. But as of this writing, Flores said, the latter is still mum on their request.

For his part, LTFRB-7 regional director Ahmed Cuizon clarified that the reinstatement of bus fares still needs a nod from the board members before the same can be effectively implemented.  (FREEMAN)