The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has granted approval for a P1 provisional fare hike for both traditional and modern public utility jeepneys (PUJ) across the country, effective Oct. 8.
In a news conference on Tuesday at the LTFRB office in Quezon City, LTFRB chair Teofilo Guadiz III announced that the minimum fares for traditional and modern PUJs would be set at P13 and P15, respectively.
“Piso na provisional fare increase lamang po ang inaprubahan natin sa first 4 kilometers, pero wala pong kahit anong dagdag sa succeeding kilometers,” Guadiz said.
Last month, the LTFRB said it was contemplating the approval of a fare increase before the year’s end after transportation groups like Pasang Masda, the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization, and the Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers’ Association of the Philippines submitted petitions requesting a P5 hike in the minimum fare for PUJs, citing the escalating costs of fuel products.
Guadiz said the P1 fare increase was a temporary measure and will remain in effect until the LTFRB makes a decision regarding the primary petition submitted by the transport groups.
“Because there were already 11 instances of price increase, what we gave was, in my words, just to make do while we are hearing their request on the permanent increase,” he said.
“Itong binigay namin ay, in my words, pantawid lamang po ito habang nililitis namin ‘yung kanilang kahilingan, which would be the permanent increase,” Guadiz said.
He added that the LTFRB would hold another hearing next week to further review the petition requesting a P5 increase in the minimum fare for PUJs. John Ezekiel J. Hirro