“The Board decided to grant the petition of the PUVs (public utility vehicles), their denomination, including the petition of the buses, traditional and modern jeepneys, taxis, and TNVS,” LTFRB Chairperson Cheloy Garafil said.

In the decision released by the Board, Garafil said that a P1.00 provisional increase was approved for traditional and modern public utility jeepneys (TPUJs / MPUJs) for the first four kilometers of their trip. This was lower than the P2.00-increase filed by the transport groups in their petition to LTFRB.

Upon effectivity of the decision, the minimum fare for TPUJ will become P12.00 from P11.00, and P14.00 from P13.00 for MPUJs.

There will also be an additional fare of 30 centavos per succeeding kilometer for TPUJs, and 40 centavos for MPUJs. This means that the fare for succeeding kilometer run for TPUJs will be P1.80 from the current P1.50, and P2.20 from P1.80 for MPUJs.

Bus fare

For public utility buses (PUBs), Garafil said that the Board approved a P2.00 uniform base fare increase for city and provincial buses for the first five kilometers. This was lower compared to the P4.00 to P7.00 base fare hike which was requested by the transport groups.

PUBs will also have a 40-centavo additional fare per succeeding kilometer for ordinary city bus; 45-centavo increase for air-conditioned city bus; and 35-centavo increase for ordinary provincial bus. This, again, was lower than the 85-centavo to P1.20-hike request of the petitioners.

The new base fare for PUBs is as follows: City Bus (Ordinary) – P13.00 from P11.00; City Bus (Airconditioned) – P15.00 from P13.00; and Provincial Bus (Ordinary) P11.00 from P9.00.

Per succeeding kilometer run, the PUBs will have P2.25 increase from P1.85 for ordinary city buses; P2.65 from P2.20 for airconditioned city buses; P1.90 from P1.55 for ordinary provincial buses; P2.10 from P1.75 for deluxe provincial buses; P2.35 from P1.95 for S deluxe provincial buses; and P2.90 from P2.40 for luxury provincial buses.

Taxi, TNVS

Garafil also bared that the LTFRB has approved a P5.00-increase in the flagdown rate of taxis and TNVS.

Upon effectivity of the decision, the minimum fare for taxis and Sedan-type TNVS will be P45.00, while AUV/SUV-type TNVS will be at P55.00. For hatchback-type TNVS, the flagdown rate will be P35.00. There will be no increase in the succeeding kilometers.

Meanwhile, Garafil reminded transport groups that the 20-percent discount for senior citizens, persons with disability (PWDs), and students will still be effective.

The LTFRB earlier said that the agency recognized the need for a fare increase following the continuing rise of oil prices, and upon consultation with the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Energy (DOE).

“You can see that we didn’t give everything that the petitioners asked. We have to consider the biggest factor of our decision, the commuters, and their ability to bear this burden. We also considered the effect of this to inflation and to our economy,” Garafil said.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Martin Sadongdong

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