Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 9) — Jeepney drivers do not need a fare matrix to charge the ₱1 provisional fare hike, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and transport group Pasang Masda said on Monday.
LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz said the fare matrix would be needed only when a fare hike petition is officially granted.
Pasang Masda, meanwhile, said jeepney operators just need to post the LTFRB order for now.
Transport groups earlier sought to raise jeepney fares to as much as ₱5. That petition will again be tackled with regulators in early November, Pasang-Masda President Obet Martin told reporters.
“Wala po tayong matrix, lahat ito is all encompassing na piso,” Guadiz said. “Pagsakay mo plus one peso ng original rate dahil provisional increase pa lang ito. Halimbawa, nagdagdag kami ng isang piso pa, that will be the time na maglalagay na kami ng matrix.”
[Translation: There is no matrix as it is one peso. Passengers just have to add one peso to the original rate because this is only a provisional increase. If another peso is added, that will be the time for a matrix.]
Martin said drivers and operators are willing to negotiate a lower fare hike of ₱2 given the two successive weeks of pump price rollback.
“Ok na ho sa amin ang dalawang piso,” he said.
[Translation: We are fine with two pesos.]
But the trigger price point for them to withdraw their petition would be ₱55-₱56 per liter of diesel.
However, the LTFRB said fuel prices are unlikely to fall to that level anytime soon.
“To quote Ka Obet, pag bumaba ng 56 (pesos), pag-aaralan pa ho ng board. Hindi ho automatic yan,” Guadiz said. “Pagaaralan ng board kung tatanggalin ang provisional increase. Pero malayo pa ho yang mangyari, 60 (pesos) plus pa ho tayo sa ngayon. Number two dahil sa digmaan sa Gitnang Silangan, baka tumaas uli ang presyo ng langis.”
[Translation: To quote Ka Obet, if it goes down to 56, the board will look into it. That isn’t automatic. The board will see if the provisional increase will be removed. But that is far from happening, as it’s over 60 now. Number two, because of what’s happening in the Middle East, oil prices might still go up.]He added they are instead.looking closely at the petition for fare increase
“Kaya po meron kaming ginagawang pag-aaral ngayon dun sa petition ng jeepney operators dun sa hinihingi nilang additional increase. Yun po depende po yan sa magiging resulta sa nangyayari sa mundo ngayon,” said Guadiz.
