MANILA, Philippines–The lawmaker who successfully petitioned the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to roll back fares for jeepneys has asked the agency for another rollback for taxis and buses.
Negros Oriental Representative Manuel Iway, who calls himself a “commuter,” filed two petitions with the LTFRB on Wednesday asking for a reduction in fares for buses and cabs due to lower fuel prices in the market.
In the first petition, he asked the agency to reduce the minimum flag-down rate for taxis from P40 to P30, and to slash by P1 the P3.50 charged for every waiting time of two minutes and for every succeeding 300 meters.
“Since diesel prices are now at P31.15 per liter, this honorable Board should protect the interests of the taxi-riding public by reducing flag-down rates of taxis to P30, [and charging] P2.50 for every two minutes of waiting time, and P2.50 for every succeeding 300 meters traveled,” he said.
“This honorable Board should also reduce the fares of other taxi services, such as GT (garage terminal) Express and airport taxis by a proportionate and fair reduction,” said Iway, a former LTFRB board member.
He noted price rollbacks implemented by six oil companies on Dec. 14, with prices reduced by as much as P1.60 for diesel, P1.90 for gasoline, and P1.80 for kerosene.
In the second petition, Iway sought a reduction in minimum fare for buses from P10 to P8 for the first five kilometers and P1.50 for every succeeding kilometer.
He said bus fares should also be lowered “to reduce the financial strain on the resources of the bus-riding commuters and let all people, not just the operators, enjoy the oil price rollbacks.”
In October, Iway petitioned the LTFRB to roll back fares for jeepneys for the same reason.
Earlier this month, the agency declared a rollback in jeepney fares from P8.50 to P7.50 for the first four kilometers.
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