MANILA, Philippines -- A petition for “emergency relief for drivers,” has been filed by a group of taxi operators at the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), an official said.

In a phone interview Wednesday, LTFRB Media and Public Affairs Consultant Leddy Tantoco said that the Association of Taxi Operators of Manila (ATOM) filed for an additional P10 to the final taxi rate.

But Tantoco clarified that with the group’s petition, the flag down rate for taxis would still remain at P30 with the additional P2.50 for every 500 meters and the P10 would just be added to the final rate.

“So kapag P90 ang rate, magiging P100 siya [So if the rate is P90, it will become P100],” he said.

No hearing has been set for the petition of ATOM, Tantoco said.

LTFRB is also set to resolve on the separate petitions of bus and jeepney groups for a provisional fare increase.

Tantoco said they would prefer to resolve all the petitions once the additional P2 government subsidy on fuel was implemented.

“Gusto sana naming ipagsabay na yung dalawa para isang package na lang [We want to decide on the two so that there will only be one package],” he said.

He added that the subsidy had been approved in principle and was just awaiting implementation.

Tantoco also said that oil companies and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) were hesitant in setting the mode of payment in the form of tax credits.