Taxi fare hike next month?

The new fare rate for taxis will most likely take effect next month, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said yesterday.

Speaking before the weekly Citio Fernandina forum in Greenhills, San Juan, LTFRB chairman Maria Elena Bautista said that the LTFRB is still hearing the petition filed by the Association of Taxi Operatives in Metro Manila (ATOMM) for an increase in taxi meter rates.

"It has not yet been resolved by the board. We are still waiting for the position paper of the Office of the Solicitor General on the fare petition. Our decision will depend on the position of the OSG. It is a hearing process. After all the position papers are submitted, the board will come out with a resolution within two weeks. The earliest that this could happen will be on September," Bautista said.

Bautista added that should the LTFRB agrees to grant the fare hike petition filed by ATOMM, the decision will still have to be published for 15 days in a newspaper of national circulation before it could be implemented.

According to Bautista, the 3,000-strong ATOMM has petitioned the LTFRB to approved an increase in the current flag down rate of P25 to P30. ATOMM has also petitioned that the current P2.50 charge for every 300 meters traveled be changed to P2.50 for every 250 meters traveled by the cab after flag down.

ATOMM has also petitioned that the waiting time charge be adjusted from P2 for every two minutes to P2 for every minute.

The OSG is currently reviewing the petition filed by ATOMM in behalf of the riding public, the LTFRB said. ATOMM is asking for an increase in taxi fare following the increases in oil and petroleum products. It will be recalled that taxi fares were last adjusted by the LTFRB in December 2000.