Transport holiday

CEBU, Philippines — A nationwide transport holiday is set to proceed today in several parts of the country, but transport groups in Cebu have decided not to participate for now following government assurances on fuel subsidy distribution.

Transport leaders in Cebu suspended their planned participation after a dialogue with officials from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Region 7 (LTFRB-7) yesterday in a meeting, who committed to releasing financial assistance to drivers and set a deadline for submission of requirements.

While Cebu has opted out, Ellen Maghanoy, president of the Cebu Federation of Transport Cooperatives, said transport groups in other regions—including parts of Luzon, Mindanao, and areas in the Visayas such as Iloilo and Cagayan—are expected to proceed with the transport holiday. “For now, Cebu will not join, but other regions are pushing through,” she said.

The protest stems from calls for higher fare adjustments and immediate fuel subsidies amid rising fuel prices and operational costs.

Julieto Flores, chairman of the Cebu Provincial Operators Transport Cooperative, said the decision to hold off was based on the agency’s directive for operators to complete documentation for the fuel subsidy. “The transport holiday will not continue because LTFRB has given a deadline for the submission of requirements for the fuel subsidy,” he said.

Under the program, each qualified driver is expected to receive ?5,000, separate from another subsidy intended for operators. “The ?5,000 is per driver. But there is a separate fund for operators, which is allocated per franchise or per unit,” he explained.

Flores added that the operator subsidy will come from a ?2.2-billion fund, which will be distributed among transport operators, particularly in the Visayas, depending on the number of units they manage.

Despite this, Flores stressed that the subsidies have yet to be released, prompting transport groups to set a deadline for government action. “If these are not released within next week, we will proceed with the transport holiday,” he warned.

Similarly, Richard Cabucos, chairperson of the United Cebu Transport Operators Association, confirmed that transport groups initially prepared for the protest but decided to suspend it after authorities committed to processing financial aid.

“We were already preparing, but we will not proceed with the transport holiday because the government has started processing assistance for the drivers,” Cabucos said.

Cabucos said operators are now required to submit a list of drivers along with their GCash accounts to ensure direct distribution of aid. “The requirement now is for operators to submit the list of drivers with their GCash numbers so the government can send the assistance directly,” he said.

But he clarified that only drivers will benefit from the subsidy. “Only drivers are included. Conductors are not covered by the assistance,” Cabucos added.

Maghanoy echoed the decision to suspend the transport holiday, citing the outcome of their dialogue with government officials. “We had a dialogue earlier, and they listened to our suggestions, concerns, and the difficulties we are facing,” Maghanoy said.

She confirmed that operators were given a deadline to submit driver details for the direct release of subsidies. “Tomorrow is the deadline for submitting the GCash numbers of our drivers so the government can directly send the fuel subsidy,” she said yesterday.

While welcoming the development, Maghanoy emphasized that the assistance remains a temporary fix. “The ?5,000 fuel subsidy is just a band-aid solution. What we are asking for is a long-term solution,” she said.

Among the proposals raised by transport groups are a per-liter fuel subsidy, the revival of the service contracting program, and a loan moratorium for operators struggling with rising costs. “Before, we received around ?26 per kilometer under service contracting. That helped cover operational costs,” she said.

Maghanoy also highlighted the worsening financial situation of drivers, noting that daily earnings have significantly dropped due to increasing fuel and operational expenses.

From a previous daily income of ?1,500 to ?2,000, drivers now reportedly take home only around ?500, while daily operating costs have risen to as much as ?6,000 to ?7,000.

“Ultimately, our request is simple: either restore the previous increase or subsidize fuel costs directly. This is essential for drivers to maintain their livelihoods while continuing to provide safe and reliable transport services,” she added.

Earlier, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the suspension of a planned fare hike that was supposed to take effect on March 19, citing the need to ease the burden on commuters.

“Sa aking palagay dahil nga may problema pa rin tayo dahil sa giyera sa Middle East ay sabi ko siguro hindi ito ang panahon para magtaas ng pamasahe para sa ating mga kababayan. Kaya’t inutos ko sa DOTr na suspendihin muna ang fare hike at i-defer muna natin ‘yan,” the President said.

Before its suspension, the LTFRB had approved fare increases across various public transport sectors, including jeepneys, buses, taxis, and transport network vehicle services.

 The Department of Transportation (DOTr) earlier said it is preparing mitigation measures such as fuel subsidies, free ride programs, and toll discounts to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices.

For now, Cebu transport groups remain on standby, monitoring whether the government will deliver on its promise to release subsidies within the agreed timeline, while the rest of the country moves forward with the planned transport holiday. (CEBU NEWS)