COTABATO CITY -- The transportation sector in Central Mindanao is asking for a P1.50 fare increase amid the increasing cost of living, basic commodities, and fuel, an official of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Central Mindanao said.

Orly Sabelita of the LTFRB in Central Mindanao said the petition of the transport sector had been forwarded to LTFRB-central office Manila for consideration.

The current jeepney fare in most of cities in the region is P6.50 for the first five kilometers and 50 cents for each succeeding kilometer.

In Cotabato City, the transport group led by Badz Ali of 1-Utak, said the last fare increase granted to the transport sector in Mindanao was in 2005 when the price of diesel fuel was only P35 per liter.

Now, a liter of diesel, most of public transport's fuel, costs P41 to P44.

Ali said the cost of fuel in Cotabato City and those in the cities of Davao and General Santos was at least one peso higher due to the extra cost charged by oil firms in transporting petroleum products.

Faced with high cost of fuel and prices of basic commodities, jeepney drivers also have stiff competition in Cotabato City: the motorcycle-for-hire drivers.

"These motor-for-hire transport group which is not regulated by any government agency or local government unit, kills the jeepney sector," said Angelito Santiago, a jeepney driver for 20 years in Cotabato City.

Locally known as "Dagit-dagit" (striker), drivers of private motorcycles would pick up passengers at a higher cost than the regular fare of P6.50.

"They charge P30 for one passenger from downtown Cotabato City to a subdivision," he said. "And passengers are taking them to avoid traffic and longer travel time," Santiago said.

He said even if the P1.50 per passenger fare increase would be granted, still they could hardly make earnings the way they did five years ago.