Marinduque residents bewail overcharging of transport fare

Marinduqueños assailed local transportation authorities for alleged collusion with mass transport operators to perpetuate overcharging of passengers.

Sources, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal, alleged that passengers, particularly those bound for Balanacan in Mogpog town, which hosts the island-province’s main seaport, were made to pay as much as 150 percent higher than the regular fare.

"We have been suffering this kind of injustice and oppression of our right to full protection of the law on public utilities, but our officials seemed indifferent to our plight. The only explanation for this is that they are apparently lining up their pockets with illegal income in cahoots with unscrupulous transport operators," one of the sources said.

They added that the irregularity has been posing unnecessary burden for them, especially the marginalized folk who have to shell out extra money for fare instead of spending it for food and school allowances of their children.

The Marinduqueños called on President Arroyo to act promptly on their complaint, saying they believe in her sincerity to weed out graft and corruption in the bureaucracy and vigorously pursue good governance. — Jimmy Montejo