LTFRB urged: Cut taxi, UV Express fares

MANILA, Philippines – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) should make the provisional taxi flagdown rate of P30 permanent, and reduce the minimum fare for UV Express units in the wake of the continuous drop in prices of oil products in the world market, Valenzuela City Rep Sherwin Gatchalian said yesterday.

The lawmaker made the call as jeepney drivers in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog started lowering their minimum fare to P7 for the first four kilometers upon the LTFRB’s directive.

The LTFRB last year slashed P10 off from the then-P40 flagdown rate for regular taxis and then-P70 for airport taxis. However, the decrease was only provisional so taxi meters were not recalibrated to show the new rates.

Gatchalian said the LTFRB has to recalibrate taxi meters so they will reflect the P30 flagdown rate.

He also asked the LTFRB to roll back the minimum fare of UV Express to P10, adding that this will not only lower the minimum fare for UV Express units but also standardize the initial rate. Some drivers charge passengers a minimum of P15 while others only charge P12.