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LTRB thumbs down transport group’s plea for 50-centavo minimum fare hike

10/22/2009

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has turned down appeals made by transport groups to grant a provisional 50-centavo increase in the minimum fare for jeepneys, saying there will be no automatic fare hike even after fuel firms have raised prices of their products by as much as P2 per liter.

LTFRB Chairman Alberto Suansing said transport groups cannot just decide to adjust fares without going through “normal processes.”

“Malaking pagtaas ang nangyari, P2 yata (but) that will only reactivate discussions on fare hike petition — not an automatic increase in fares (The P2/liter hike was a big adjustment that can only activate discussions on a fare hike petition — not a fare increase),” Suansing said in an interview on dzBB radio.

He added there is no petition for a fare hike stemming from this week’s fuel price increases.

But he said there are pending petitions from Pasang Masda and the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO) to restore a 50-centavo added fare that was removed last February.

“We are still considering it,” he said, but did not say whether the LTFRB has scheduled hearings on the fare hike petitions.

When asked about the chances of the LTFRB allowing a fare hike following this week’s fuel price hikes, Suansing said “malayo pa ang posibilidad na ganyan. Pag-uusapan pa yan.”

At present, the minimum jeepney fare is P7.

Meanwhile, the militant Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) yesterday vowed not to submit a petition for a fare hike but pushed anew price controls on fuel.

“Sinisikap naming rendahan. Sa ngayon wala kaming balak magpetisyon ng dagdag pasahe. Di kami kasama sa nagpepetisyon sa mga humihingi ng dagdag pasahe,” Piston secretary general George San Mateo said.

He added Malacañang should take concrete action and impose price ceilings on fuel products.

Last Tuesday, oil companies increased the prices of their fuel products, citing the continued rise in global fuel costs.

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Petron Corp. — two of the countrys’ three biggest fuel companies — announced increases in premium and regular gasoline, diesel fuel and kerosene prices.

Shell and Petron increased diesel costs by P2 per liter and kerosene by P1.50 per liter.

Chevron Philippines, which runs Caltex stations, also increased fuel pump prices at just about the same levels but implemented the increase at noon of Oct. 20.

Jason Faustino