By: Aliahcorr Balanon
Photo courtesy of Agence France-Prese | INQUIRER.NET
Transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) will file a petition seeking a P2 provincial fare increase on Monday, Mar. 16, which would raise the minimum jeepney fare to P15, following a P17 to P24 per liter increase in pump prices.
At a rally along East Avenue in Quezon City, PISTON president Mody Floranda said that the provincial fare hike would help prevent major income losses for jeepney drivers and operators due to the spike in oil prices.
In 12 to 18 hours on the road, jeepney drivers can take home P400 to P500, however, given the oil price hike, they could lose P200 to P300.
“If the provincial P2 fare increase is granted, we can earn P400 after 200 passengers in a day,” Floranda explained.
Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Vigor Mendoza said that the agency had earlier recommended a provisional fare increase based on diesel prices at around P60 per liter.
But now that there are reports of diesel price reaching P80 per liter, a higher fare hike is now certain.
“Definitely, sigurado na… We want to prepare already for this matter, the numbers definitely would not be the same,” Mendoza said.
However, Floranda underscored that the fare hike should be coupled with raising the minimum wage of Filipino workers to P1,200 so they can afford higher transportation costs.
Meanwhile, the LTFRB is also preparing the rollout of the government’s fuel subsidy program for public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers.
The total budget for the subsidy amounts to P2.5 billion, with about P1.3 billion allocated for LTFRB-franchised vehicles.
According to Mendoza, around 256,000 PUV operators and drivers, including those operating jeepneys, UV Express units, taxis and transport network vehicle service (TNVS), are expected to benefit.
For the modern public utility jeepneys, the subsidy amounts may range from about P10,500 depending on the final allocation, while traditional jeepneys are expected to receive around P5,000.
The agency is currently coordinating with the Landbank of the Philippines to distribute the subsidy through cards, which beneficiaries can use at partner gas stations.