LTFRB approves P2 hike in jeepney fare

Metro Manila, July 1 ------ The minimum fare for traditional public utility jeepneys (PUJs) will be P11 nationwide beginning July 1 after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) granted appeals for a fare hike.

The LTFRB approved consolidated petitions across the country for a provisional P2 fare increase to help drivers and operators amid soaring fuel prices. Earlier this month, LTFRB already approved a temporary jeepney fare hike from P9 to P10, but only in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa. Now, traditional jeepney drivers in all regions are authorized to raise their fare to P11 for the first four kilometers, the board said. Meanwhile, the new minimum fare for modern PUJs is P13 for the first four kilometers, although no increase should be imposed for the succeeding distance. "In issuing this resolution, let it not be said that the agency is indifferent to the plight suffered by the transport sector due to the increase of fuel prices," the LTFRB wrote in its decision. In recent weeks, some jeepney drivers said they are considering or have been forced to stop operations due to high costs of fuel. "With the cautious examination of the complexities of the various concerns of our stakeholders, the Board balances these interests guided by the principle that now more than ever, the need for the riding public to have mass transportation must be sufficiently met," the agency noted.

According to the LTFRB, all PUJ operators are required to post a notice of fare increase inside their public utility vehicles that can easily be seen by the riding public. They are also reminded to grant a fare discount of not less than 20% to qualified senior citizens, students, and people with disabilities.

Source: cnnphilippines.com