LTFRB defers P2 fare hike

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) held in abeyance yesterday a fare increase for jeepneys and non-aircon buses scheduled to be implemented tomorrow after a commuters’ group filed a motion for reconsideration on the decision to adjust fares.

"Today, it was the hearing of the motions for reconsideration filed by oppositors. There are also new personalities who also filed a motion for reconsideration on the decision of the LTFRB board to increase the fares, supposed to be taking effect on the 26th of May. Because of the motion, the petitioners were given five days to file a comment and the oppositors another five days to file a reply," Lawyer Felix Racadio, member of the LTFRB Board, said during a hearing on the motion filed by commuters’ group National Council for Commuter Protection Inc. (NCCP).

The group claimed the fare increase was too high and that there was no public consultation on the matter. Racadio, together with Engineer Felix Pinili, conducted a hearing on the motion. LTFRB Chairwoman Elena Bautista is on leave.

"The necessary consequence is that the effectivity or the implementation of the fare hike decision on May 9, 2005 that was published May 10, 2005 cannot be implemented yet," Racadio said.

He explained that until all the pleadings of the case is resolved, the LTFRB cannot implement the fare hike.

The LTFRB could not say when the case will be resolved.

"It would be a minimum of 10 days from today (May 23). Once they reply, this would be the time we would deliberate on it," Racadio said. "There is also no definite time when the deliberations will end."

Racadio denied that commuter protection group was never given a chance to air their side.

"That is not true. They were given a chance to air their side. We had a hearing before the fare increase decision was announced. They were here during the hearing. We asked the group to file their evidence and position paper, and we gave them a time limit, but they never filed their position paper before the deadline," he said.

Pinili said the process for fare matrix applications will continue.

"We can just adjust the fares in the matrix if the fares are adjusted. It would be easy to adjust. The road marking will be the same, the amount will just be changed," he said.

However, Mar Garvida, national president of the transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operaytor Nationwide (PISTON) said the LTFRB should stop issuing new fare matrices until they have resolved the case.

PISTON held a rally outside the LTFRB office in Quezon City while the hearing was being held.

Zeny Maranan, president of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) said the group supports the deferment of the fare increase to study the petition.

However, she urged the LTFRB to resolve this as soon as possible.

Maranan said she does not know what the transport groups will do next, warning that they may stage more transport strikes.

She stressed that they will not follow the five-year moratorium on transport strikes since, she claimed, they never signed the agreement between the transport groups and the Department of Transportation and Communications.

Starting tomorrow the transport groups will be holding meetings on what steps to take next.

They believe the P2 increase given by the LTFRB to the transport groups has been studied and is fair.