Group wants jeepney fare set at P4.25

MANILA — Saying current jeepney fares are bloated, an official of a local anti-crime group has asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to set a flat rate of P4.25 regardless of distance.

Public utility jeepneys less than five years old, however, should be allowed higher fare as approved by the LTFRB, Delia Estrella, chair of Citizen Crime Watch-Mandaluyong City chapter, said in her petition.

However, Estrella’s motion for intervention in Rep. Manuel Iway’s petition for jeepney fare reduction was dismissed by the LTFRB on Tuesday.

“We denied the motion to intervene because the relief being prayed for in the petition is different from the petition of Congressman Iway that we are hearing already,” LTFRB Chair Winston Ginez said. “We advised the movant to file a separate petition so we can properly hear it.”

In her petition, Estrella said most jeepneys plying the routes were more than 15 years old and their operators had recovered many times over the cost of their investment. She noted that the price of diesel had “drastically” dropped from P45 to P16 per liter.

“Other operational expenses of jeepneys have likewise dropped or stayed the same. And if ever repair cost is high, it is because the units are very old,” the petition said.

“Like Uber cars, Grab cars or premium buses, the better the unit, higher fares may be allowed to compensate the cost of investment. Older units, however, should not be given same rate as brand new as this will be prejudicial to passengers,” it added.

Iway’s petition seeks to make permanent the provisional P7.50 minimum jeepney fare ordered by the board in December 2014. He also wants to reduce from P1.50 to P1.25 the rate per succeeding kilometer in excess of the first 4 kilometers

The hearing on Iway’s petition will resume on Feb. 16 with the transport groups directed to present their evidence in support of their opposition, Ginez has said.

The LTFRB further reduced the provisional fare to P7 on Jan. 22 upon the petition filed by transport groups Pasang Masda Nationwide Inc., Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap), Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO), and Liga ng mga Tsuper at Operator sa Pilipinas Inc. (LTOP). These groups are among the oppositors of Iway’s petition.  SFM