All times of day: Group seeks P1 fare surge

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Integrated Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CITRASCO) will modify the fare surge petition it filed before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) - 7 after the original petition was met with opposition during a public hearing yesterday.

In its original petition, CITRASCO asked to increase fare by P1.50 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. but commuters who attended the public hearing said this will only cause confusion between drivers and passengers.

"Makalibog man na ang inyong fare surge. Makamugna lang na og kagubot sa mga pasahero ug drivers," said Minda Oclea, former president of the Association of Concerned Texters.

CITRASCO General Manager Ryan Benjamin Yu said they will now ask for a P1 surge in all hours of the day.

"Ang gusto sa mga pasahero nga nitambong sa maong public hearing, actually, wa man gyud sila nisupak sa fare increase pero supak sila sa fare surge kay makalibog lagi kuno," he said.

"Ang amoa man gud unta nga ang fare surge is favorable to the commuters because we will only collect the fare surge at a certain hour of the day. Pero para sa mga commuters kay makalibong man daw ni then we will make it nga applicable siya anytime of the day," Yu said.

He said they will submit the modified proposal within the week.

Earlier, Yu explained that worsening traffic conditions here have reduced the jeepney drivers' "round trips" while spending too much on fuel.

In the end, their take home pay is barely above the surface.

He said that in the past, a PUJ driver can have at least seven round trips for long distance travel (20kms) but this has been reduced to five trips with the same amount of fuel consumed. Worst, prices of fuel are also increasing.

Romeo Armamento, vice president of the National Confederation of Transport workers Union-Visayas, said the group is supposed to support the P1.50 fare surge petition because of the worsening traffic conditions in Metro Cebu, which resulted to loss of income on the part of jeepney drivers.

The militant transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide-Cebu expressed its opposition to fare surge.

Even before the public hearing began yesterday, LTFRB-7 Chairman Ahmed Cuizon said called the attention of the other petitioner, Basak Lapu-Lapu City Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association Inc. - National Confederation of Transportworkers Union-Visayas, for its failure to send a notice of public hearing to the Office of the Solicitor General.

“Unsay pagto-o ninyo ani atong public hearing, duwa-duwa lang ni? We cannot allow you to proceed with your petition for lack of notice to the Office of the Solicitor General. If we allow you to proceed without it then the proceeding can be considered as null and void," the irked regional director said allowing only CITRASCO to proceed with its petition.

Officials of BALACJODA apologized and explained it is their first time to file the petition and were not aware of the requirement.

Cuizon said LTFRB-7 may hold another public hearing BALACJODA's petition, which seeks for a P1.50 fare surge for the same hours asked by CITRASCO.

The group also asked to increase the current P6.50 minimum fare to P8.00 for the first five kilometers.

Cuizon said LTFRB-7 will wait for CITRASCO’s modified petition, which will have to be forwarded to its central office in Manila for decision.

To recall, the minimum jeepney fare in Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas was reduced from P7 to P6.50 starting February 8, 2016 after LTFRB granted a provisional P.50 fare reduction.

Greg Perez, coordinator of the militant transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide-Cebu, believes the petitions are not necessary if LTFRB withdraws the P.50 provisional increase it granted.

"Nganong di na man lang gyud bakwi-on sa LTFRB ang P.50 nga provisional increase nga ilang gihatag? Kaning mga petisyon karon alang sa pagpasaka sa pletehan, wa na ni kinahanglana," Perez said. (FREEMAN)