LTFRB standardizes rates for airport taxis

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) standardized yesterday the rates of taxis based at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) complex.

Under the new rates a passenger will be charged a minimum P150 for the first 2.5 kilometers from the NAIA complex. An incremental P25 will then be charged per kilometer.

The new rates will be implemented 15 days after publication in a national newspaper today, or on Aug. 10, 2005.

In a press conference, LTFRB Chairwoman Elena Bautista said the board studied the old matrix of airport taxis and had difficulty trying to determine the basis of those rates since it was not geographical.

"We could not see the system the way they prescribed it. For example, in Barangka, the rate is too high, despite being geographically near Ateneo.

Now, we have a formula and geographical data to make the computation of rates," Bautista said.

She explained that what the LTFRB decided to do was to make radial computations. 

"There are areas where the rates went up while there are areas where the rates went down. From the airport to Glorietta in Makati it was P372 before, right now it is P330. To Batasan it was P852 before, but now it is P850. The rate to New Manila was adjusted from P575 to P610 and to Villamor from P230 to P150," Bautista said.  

She said one of the main reasons for approving an increase in the rates was due to the increase in petroleum prices.

"The focal point of the approval or denial of an application for an increase of rate is not only to recover costs. Approval or denial of such application must go beyond determining whether a fare change is justified based on cost and revenue analysis. Fare setting should be undertaken in the context of a variety of larger policy issues such as service, driver and vehicle qualities," the LTFRB said in its amended decision on the petition of Nissan Car Lease Philippines Inc.

"A fare increase can be harnessed and will be of great help to guide and provide better service quality, which will surely benefit the riding public," the LTFRB said.

Airport taxis had been seeking a rate of P33 per kilometer from the current P21 per kilometer.