Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 10) — Transport groups are willing to drop their call for a rush hour surge fee, and instead opt for a regular fare hike, according to the leader of jeepney union Pasang Masda.
“Kanina nag-usap kami ng grupo ng ACTO at ng ALTODAP, ang Pasang Masda together with our lawyer. It seems that we are, it’s better for us to amend the petition na gawin na lang naming ₱1 increase ang aming hingin, hindi na yung magkaroon pa ng surge charge na broken time…para hindi na magkaroon ng kaguluhan,” Pasang Masda president Obet Martin told CNN Philippines’ Traffic Center.
[Translation: Earlier we spoke with ACTO and ALTODAP, together with our lawyer. It seems that we are, it’s better for us to amend the petition to a ₱1 increase instead of a surge fee to avoid confusion.]
The transport groups earlier sought a ₱1 surge fee to help cushion the impact of fuel price hikes – the most recent was a ₱4 increase in diesel prices.
The ₱1 will be charged on top of base fares from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m., and again from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Martin said the surge charge would be withdrawn once pump prices return to normal.
However, transport regulators said they were more keen on granting a regular jeepney fare hike than the surge fee being sought by transport groups.
