Provisional fare rollback pushed while petition is pending

CEBU, Philippines - The regional office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is expected to submit to its head office today a petition for a P0.50 provisional reduction in fare while the main petition to reduce the minimum fare here is pending.

“Akong paninguhaon ugma nga ma-submit nako ang recommendation to grant a provisional fare reduction of P0.50 kay mas dali ni,” said LTFRB-7 acting director Reynaldo Elnar yesterday.

Former City Councilor Augustus Pe earlier filed the main petition to reduce the fare to P7 from the existing P7.50, citing the series of rollbacks in the price of oil. 

Yesterday, Pe said he is willing to withdraw his petition provided that LTFRB-7 will immediately grant his petition to lower the jeepney fare.

LTFRB-7 hearing officer Edwin Antepuesto clarified, however, that the regional office can only gather documents and only the LTFRB board can act on the petition – whether to grant or deny it. 

Elias Sabang, president of the Consumer’s Rights for Economic Welfare Inc., said the group is supporting the petition as it will benefit the riding public.

The Alliance of Transport Organizations Member Intra-Cebu City, however, opposed the petition. The group’s chairman, Rudy Lacunza, said the move will reduce the drivers’ income. This will be an additional burden to them, he said, considering that they do not enjoy the benefits of regular employees such as sick and vacation leave credits, among others. He also noted the high fines that drivers face when they violate traffic rules.

Alex Borbadora, chairman of the Visayas United Drivers Transport Service Cooperative, said the group also opposes the petition. He said several factors have to be taken into account in reducing fare, not just the price of fuel. Another important factor, for instance, is the price of spare parts.

Antepuesto said that under the rules, no petition for fare adjustment shall be accepted unless proof of service of the petition to the Office of the Solicitor General is shown and established. The rules also provide that the petitioner shall have the petition published in a news paper of general circulation at least 15 days prior to a scheduled hearing.

Romeo Armamento, national vice president of the National Confederation of Transportworkers Union-Central Visayas, said the group does not oppose a fare reduction but suggested that LTFRB create a mechanism that would make it automatic for fare to increase in the event the price of fuel increases.

“Dapat naay tripartite nga himoon, LTFRB, transport sector and commuters group nga maoy motan-aw nga in case naay pag-ubos or pag-umento sa presyo sa lana, automatic na ang pagpa-ubos sa pletehan o pagsaka sa pletehan. Para wa na tay daghang lalis,” said Armamento who is also the president of the Mandaue United Drivers Association.

NCTU-CV has more than 2,000 members-drivers in Cebu alone.

Greg Perez, president of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mg Tsuper at Operators Nationwide-Cebu Chapter said the group is open to the petition and, just like Armamento, suggested that a tripartite body be organized considering that the government has no control over the prices of fuel under the Oil Deregulation Law.

Last week, the LTFRB ordered a provisional P1 fare reduction of the minimum fare in jeepneys in Metro Manila from P8.50 to P7.50.

In a separate interview, Art Barrit, spokesperson of the Associated Labor Unions- Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, said the organization supports Pe’s move, saying transport cost is one of the factors that slashes the worker’s take home pay.

Dennis Derige, spokesperson of the Partido ng Manggagawa- Cebu said the group also welcomes the petition and also called for a price rollback of basic commodities, as well as power and water rates.

Jose Tomongha, chairman of the Alliance of Progressive Labor-Central Visayas, also said a provisional fare rollback is only fair considering the series of oil price rollbacks. — (FREEMAN)