LTO relents on punishing Baguio jeepney drivers for heeding deal on fares with mayor

BAGUIO CITY — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) this week confiscated the licenses of six jeepney drivers for “overcharging” during the lockdown, as they ferried home residents of the village of Irisan.

But on Thursday (April 23), the agency returned the driver’s licenses without collecting fines of up to P5,000, following public outrage over the April 21 apprehensions.

LTO enforcers acted on a social media complaint that the jeepney drivers were charging each passenger P20 for special trips requested by Mayor Benjamin Magalong after the Luzon-wide quarantine suspended all mass transportation services on March 17.

Under a 24-hour curfew, everyone had been required to stay indoors except for workers, doctors and nurses, and family members allowed to go out for food and medicine.

The jeepneys were part of a special fleet which were allowed to charge extra fees, under an informal arrangement with the community so residents headed for the market need not walk, said Magalong.

The jeepneys operated only on the designated market days of their respective villages. But due to social distancing protocol, each jeepney may carry only half of their designated capacity, so jeepney drivers negotiated for a special fare, Magalong said during a Wednesday (April 22) news conference.

“This is not allowed, but we have to be simply creative about it. We have to innovate, otherwise, how will a jeepney operate without recovering its cost of operations,” Magalong said.

Francis Almora, LTO Cordillera director, said no public utility vehicle may raise fares without a resolution from his agency.

“There is no approved fare increase,” he said.

Almora cited a provision in Republic Act No. 11469 (the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act) which penalizes anyone who takes advantage of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic “for personal gain or profit.”

“The additional fare should be voluntary, and passengers should not be obliged,” Almora said, after clearing the jeepney drivers.

Other communities have similar arrangements with their jeepneys, but Almora said the only complaint they’ve received so far involved Irisan.

“LTO personnel are dispatched to help manage the various quarantine checkpoints, so the apprehension of jeepneys is not our priority at the moment,” he said.

“There are more urgent tasks but if there are complaints from the riding public, we also have to respond,” he added.

Edited by TSB