BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTA
ILOILO City – Public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers appear not in a hurry to implement the higher fare rates approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The new fare rates took effect on Monday but drivers and/or operators must first secure fare matrixes from the LTFRB.
“Wala pa man kami kapasaka pamasahe kay wala pa taripa halin sa kooperatiba. May mandu naman kami magpasaka pero indi kami kapanukot kay wala pa kami taripa,” said traditional jeepney driver Pastor Selose.
LTFRB legal counsel and spokesperson, Atty. Salvador Altura Jr., has been clear in reminding both drivers and the public that, as a condition for the fare hike implementation, the new fare matrix must be conspicuously displayed inside PUVs.
Taxi driver Marcelino Freires said that due to the fare increase, specifically the P5 addition to the flag down rate, passengers might not opt to ride in taxis anymore.
“Magtaas pa gid pamasahe basi madula-an na pasahero ang taxi…ma-jeep na lang na sila,” Freires expressed.
Most provincial buses are also yet to raise fares and according to a bus conductors, they have not yet been given the go-signal to impose the new rates.
“Halin sang pagbalik namon…asta sa subong ang pamasahe wala paman namon na-revise. Wala pa man advice sa amon nga magpasaka kay wala pa man ka meeting sa babaw sa amon operation kag sa admin. Kag antis kami magpasaka may taripa man na nga igahatag sa amon,” said Jason Gelia, bus conductor.
A P1 provisional increase was approved by LTFRB for traditional public utility jeepneys (TPUJs) and modern public utility jeepneys (MPUJs) for the first four kilometers.
The minimum fare for TPUJs will be P12 while that for MPUJs will be P14, from P11 and P13, respectively.
There will also be an additional charge of P.30 per succeeding kilometer for TPUJs, while an additional P0.40 per succeeding kilometer will be implemented for MPUJs.
With regard to public utility buses, LTFRB approved a P2 uniformed base fare increase for city and provincial buses for the first five kilometers and a subsequent per kilometer additional charge of P0.35 to P0.50 depending on the type of bus.
Also, the flagdown rate for taxis and sedan-type TNVS vehicles will now be P45 (from P40).
The per-kilometer additional charge for taxis, however, stays at P2.
LTFRB further reminded drivers and operators to implement the discount rates for students, senior citizens and persons with disability./PN
