THE P60 flag-down rate being sought by taxi groups may already be too high, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III said yesterday, December 2.
The renewed clamor for an increase in the taxi flag-down rate comes months after the LTFRB granted a P10 hike from P40 to P50 last March 18, 2024.
“I already have doubts if we are going to approve because to our mind, the P50 is already justified,” said Guadiz during a chance interview.
The LTFRB board has yet to come out with a final decision as it also awaits the National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA) assessment on how an increase could impact inflation.
“Alam mo naman, every time you do an increase, apektado lahat. So we are also waiting for the results from the NEDA,” the LTFRB chief said.
The Philippine National Taxi Operators Association (PNTOA) has argued that raising taxi rates is not inflationary.
“Hindi naman mass transport ang taxi. Hindi naman tren ‘yan, hindi naman bus ‘yan… It will not have an inflationary effect, hindi kagaya ng ‘pag tumaas ang presyo ng gasolina,” said PNTOA president Bong Suntay.
Suntay said earnings of taxi drivers and operators need to be able to catch up to rising costs.
“‘Yung cost of living, tumaas. ‘Yung cost ng auto, tumaas, cost ng gulong, cost ng fuel, langis, everything has increased. Pagka-traffic, hindi makakakuha ng sufficient number ng pasahero,” he said.
Raising the taxi flag-down rate could help address some of the issues always thrown at the taxi industry such as the dwindling supply and snob drivers, he said.
Suntay said operators also need extra income to be able to upgrade old taxi units and to hire better drivers.
The LTFRB is expected to come out with a decision on the matter in the coming weeks. (ABS-CBN News)
