ILOILO City – Citing the high cost of diesel, public utility jeepney (PUJ) operators and drivers in Panay Island are calling for a P2.50 increase in fare.
According to Raymundo “Boyet” Parcon, president of the Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers’ Association (ICLAJODA), they may send today a petition to Department of Transportation (DOTr) secretary Arthur Tugade, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and its regional counterpart.
ICLAJODA, the Iloilo City Alliance of Drivers Association (ICADA), and Iloilo City Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICAJODA), among others, will request an additional P2.50, or from the P9 minimum fare to P11.50 and additional P1.50 for the first four kilometers.
“Kay kon butang namon P1.50 kag i-adjust sang DOTr basi P0.50 na lang ang i-approve nila,” Parcon told Panay News.
According to Parcon, the petition would go through a process that includes a public hearing.
Should the hike secure a green light, Parcon said LTFRB will issue a provisional authority or tariff that will be the basis of the fare for PUJs.
Parcon said the cost of diesel increased by P2 last week, and is set to increase by P1.40 this week.
Currently, the price per liter of diesel is at P45 but there are other gasoline stations charging P1 to P2 higher.
For Parcon, higher spending on fuel would mean lesser income for their families.
For example, Parcon said, if a driver works for eight hours, his income should not be less than P2,000 or P1,700, but there are deductions like car rental and fuel.
The rest will be spent on food and sent home to the driver’s family.
But due to pandemic-forced restrictions, particularly physical distancing among passengers, drivers’ daily income barely reaches P2,000 or P1,700 a day.
“Yara lang sa 50 percent ang aton pasahero. Dayun indi gani kami katakas sang arkila namon. Karon buhinan pa ina kay nagamahal ang gatong,” said Parcon.
Parcon said there were more or less 5,000 units of PUJs in Panay Island./PN
