CEBU, Philippines – Officials of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 are set to meet bus, mini-bus, and taxi operators in the region before the scheduled public hearing on the petition for the reduction of the minimum fare.
LTFRB-7 director Reynaldo Elnar said petition for fare reduction is scheduled for public hearing in Manila on January 9.
“So, before this date, I will call for a consultation among the operators. Whatever will be discussed or agreed on this consultation will be forwarded to Manila for consideration,” Elnar said.
Elnar said that the recommended P0.50 reduction for jeepney’s minimum fare in Central Visayas will be decided also anytime this month.
Elnar said the Memorandum of Agreement signed between the Cebu provincial government and the mini-bus and bus operators to reduce the minimum fare should not be implemented yet without approval from LTFRB.
Julieto Flores, president of the Cebu South Mini-Bus Operators Association, said they immediately implemented the agreement a day after the MOA was signed.
Under the agreement mini-bus operators agreed to reduce the minimum fare from P6 to P5 for the first five kilometers and P1 from P1.20 for every succeeding kilometer.
However, Richard Corominas, president of the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association, did not sign the MOA.
“Corominas did not sign the MOA. So, mas maayo nga naa gyud consultation kay di man sad na pwede nga ang bus ug mini-bus pareha lang og plete,” said Elnar.
Ryan Benjamin Yu, CITRASCO general manager, said he is not in favor of reducing the taxi fare.
“Taxi has a different market. It is not a mass transportation,” said Yu. A petition to reduce taxi fare by P10 for the flagdown rate and P1 for every succeeding 300 meters is now pending before the LTFRB in Manila.
The petition filed by Negros Oriental Representative Manuel Iway seeks to reduce the P40 flagdown rate to P30 and P2.50 for every 300 meters from the current P3.50. — (FREEMAN)