Groups oppose taxi fare cut

MANILA, Philippines – Transport groups will hold mass actions today to protest the P10 cut in taxi flag-down rate earlier ordered by the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Taxi operators and drivers yesterday appealed to the LTFRB to recall the order.

The LTFRB has made permanent the provisional P30 flag-down rate, more than a year after the agency approved a P10 rollback from the previous P40 flag-down for taxicabs.

The new taxi fares will take effect on March 19.

Groups of taxi drivers in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao and Iloilo will hold simultaneous protests, according to Jun Magno, president of the Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator ng Pilipinas-Genuine Organization (STOP and Go).

Magno said the fare reduction for taxis would affect cab drivers and operators as oil firms raised anew gasoline prices yesterday.

He said taxi drivers would lose around P1,000 earnings per day with the new fares.

STOP and Go and other taxi groups, including the Drivers Unite for Mass Progress and Equal Rights-Philippine Taxi Drivers Association urged the LTFRB to return the P40 flag-down rate.