Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 17) – Drivers of the local ride-hailing market have appealed to transportation authorities to increase their base fare by ₱15 amid rising oil prices.
TNVS Community, composed of about 25,000 transport network vehicle service drivers, raised the proposal to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), citing the successive price increases in petroleum products.
Local oil firms have implemented a double-digit price hike on Tuesday this week.
“Kahit tila unti-unti nang bumabalik sa dati ang aming hanapbuhay, agad namang nasundan ito ng sunod-sunod na pagtaas ng presyo ng produktong petrolyo. Hindi pa man kami tuluyang nakakabangon, muli na namang nahaharap sa panibagong pagsubok ang aming mga kabuhayan,” the group said on Thursday.
[Translation: Although our livelihood seemed to be slowly returning to normal, it was immediately followed by a series of increases in the price of petroleum products. We have not yet fully recovered, yet our livelihood is once again facing another challenge.]
TNVS Community members said they appreciate the efforts extended by their transport network companies, such as fuel vouchers, working capital loans, and assistance funds, to cushion the impact of the current situation.
The government’s fuel subsidy also provided relief to drivers, the group said.
READ: DBM releases ₱3B for fuel subsidy, discount to help transport, agri sectors
However, it stressed that the issue demands “immediate” action from the LTFRB.
“Kami ay nananawagan sa LTFRB na bigyan ng kaukulang aksyon ang aming hiling na dagdag singil na P15 sa base fare para sa mga TNVS upang patuloy kaming makapagbigay ng serbisyo sa publiko, at mabigyan ng pagkakataon para magkaroon ng sapat na kita mula sa araw-araw na pamamasada,” it said.
[Translation: We call on the LTFRB to take appropriate action on our request for an additional charge of P15 in the base fare for TNVS drivers so that we can continue to provide service to the public, and be given the opportunity to earn sufficient income for our daily subsistence.]
In 2019, the LTFRB released the following TNVS rates:
