LTFRB resets hearing on jeepney groups’ request for fare hike

Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board Chair Martin Delgra III and board members Aileen Lizada and Ronaldo Corpuz during Wednesday’s hearing on the petition for fare hike of five groups of jeepney drivers and operators. INQUIRER.net / PATHRICIA ROXAS

The Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday reset what would have been its first hearing on the petition for a P-2 base fare increase of five jeepney groups, but not without the assurance to drivers and operators that their concerns were “valid.”

The LTFRB reset the hearing to October 24 after the petitioners failed to provide documents to substantiate their request for a fare hike.

“These issues are valid, the board affirms that these issues are there… But when you’re trying to ask for fare increase the riding public expects improvement. That’s what we want to hear from you next hearing,” LTFRB Chair Martin Delgra III said.

The petitioners, the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap), Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (Acto), Land Transportation Organization of the Philippines (LTOP), Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Altodap), and Pangkalahatang Sanggunian Manila and Suburb Drivers Assoc. Nationwide Inc. (Pasang-Masda), have sought for a fare increase to P10 from the P8 base fare for the first four kilometers in the National Capital Region (NCR), and Regions III and IV.

Fejodap’s Zenaida Maranan said they requested the fare increase due to the increase in the prices of spare parts and gasoline, and the continuous “kotong” of some cops in selected routes.

READ: Jeepney groups want basic fare raised to P10

“Bago po namin ginawa ang pag file sila (mga driver) mismo lumapit na nahihirapan kami at wala na halos naiiwan sa pamilya halos P200 nalang naiuuwi ng maliliit na ruta, wala pa dyan ang kotong na hindi iniintindi ng PNP (Philippine National Police),” Maranan said during the LTFRB hearing.

(Before we filed the petition, the drivers already told us that they were having a difficult time because they would only bring home P200 to their families from short routes, not including the bribes they would have to pay to the police at times.)

The transport agency’s board member Aileen Lizada slammed the illegal practice and asked Maranan to provide them with a list of routes where cops ask for bribes.

To which Maranan answered: “Dalang dala na kami kapag nalaman nila na tinuro sila, kami ang lagot (We are sick and tired that when we snitch them, they would go after us).”

Lizada also underscored that the jeepney sector remains to be the largest transport system throughout the country, saying that more or less 3.2 million Filipinos would be affected by the proposed fare increase.

Delgra said the agency had provided notices to the commuters group but they failed to attend Wednesday’s hearing. /idl