FILE PHOTO: In this 2017 photo, traditional jeepneys ply along Aurora Boulevard in Cubao, Quezon City. Philippine Daily Inquirer/ Richard A. Reyes
MANILA, Philippines — Unconsolidated jeepney operators who failed to join existing cooperatives or corporations will be tagged as “colorum” after January 31, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Thursday.
According to LTFRB Chairman Attorney Teofilo Guadiz III, those who will not comply with the consolidation requirement past the end of the January extension given by the board will be strictly banned from plying their routes.
“Lahat ng hindi nakapag consolidate, classified po na colorum kaya huhulihin na po,” Guadiz said in a press briefing.
(All those who have not consolidated are classified as colorum, so they will be apprehended.)
READ: LTFRB: Over 70% of PUVs consolidated under modernization program
Moreover, Guadiz reminded the unconsolidated operators that a show cause order will be issued to them within the month of January.
“Yung show cause order po sa January po yan, hanggang January 31, lahat po ng mga hindi nag-consolidate padadalhan po namin ng show cause order,” he said.
(The show cause order is until January 31. We will send a show cause order to all those who have not consolidated.)
“After January 31, wala na po kayong prangkisa, hulihan na po yun at ang classification na po ng sasakyan ninyo ay colorum na,” the official added.
(After January 31, you will no longer have a franchise. Your vehicle will be apprehended, and its classification will be considered colorum.)
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Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) Chairman Andy Ortega, on the other hand, assured commuters that the fare on modern jeepneys will not go over P30.
He also reiterated that claims that jeepney fares could spike to P40 to P50 have no basis.
“In the six years of our historical data regarding [the] minimum fare for our modern and traditional jeepneys, in 2017, when the modern jeepney came in, the minimum fare of traditional [jeepney] was P9, the modern [jeepney] was P11; we have a P2 difference,” Ortega said.
“Fast forward six years to 2023; the minimum fare for our traditional jeepneys is now P13, while for our modern jeepneys, it’s P15. The two-peso difference has been retained after six years. If we project five years into the future, according to a study or conclusion by a certain group, it is expected to reach P50; it has no basis,” he explained.