by Derco Rosal
As the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Cordillera Administrative Region (LTFRB-CAR) implements a 50-cent minimum fare increase, jeepney drivers and operators still cry for a higher minimum fare.
Petitions
In 2018, different associations of jeepney drivers and operators in Baguio filed a petition to increase the minimum fare to P14, but it was later junked because according to Atty. Laird Dionel N. Urbanozo, LTFRB-CAR Officer-In-Charge- (OIC-CTDO), P14 was not justifiable.
Recently another petition was made to add P1 to the minimum fare but the LTFRB modified this and approved to implement a P0.50 increase to the minimum fare.
In an interview, Urbanozo explained why it took two years to finalize the resolution. “Hindi basta-basta or outright na iga-grant [petitions] kasi pag-aaralan pa ng central office,” he said. (Petitions cannot be granted immediately because it must be analyzed and studied by the central office,)
Urbanozo also clarified that LTFRB put into consideration the general public’s welfare, especially the daily commuters who will be the first to be affected in case there will be a fare increase.
‘50 cents is fine’
While comparing the minimum fare increase in taxi and contrasting its service to jeepney, Sib-Aten, 55, a daily commuter supports the fare increase for jeepneys.
“Kasi ’yung taxi, ang laki ’yung dagdag nila, eh bakit ’yung jeep wala? Unfair ’yun, ’di maganda. Okay lang kasi 50 sentimos lang yun. Tsaka yung jeep, kung kulang ng 25 centavos, okay lang. Sa taxi hindi pwede, sa grocery hindi pwede,” she said.
(The [minimum fare] increase in taxis is huge, so why don’t jeepneys have? That is unfair.
That is not good. For jeepneys, it is okay because it is only P0.50. In jeepneys, if your fare lacks 25 cents, it’s okay. But it is not okay in taxis and grocery stores.)
Another commuter, Dory Tumbaga, 44, favors the implementation as she considered the benefits that the drivers will receive.
“[Makakatulong] din sa drivers; halimbawa, hindi naman sa kanila ’yun [jeepney], nagba-boundary lang din sila,” she said.
(It would help the drivers; for example, they don’t own the jeepney they operate so they need to pay the boundary or quota.)
She also said that there is a need to increase because the fare has been fixed at P8.50 for a long time.
“Okay lang kung 50 cents kasi hindi naman siya ganun kabigat,” Vilma Tapuyan, another commuter, said. (50 cents is okay because that won’t be a burden.)
Three other commuters, students and regular passengers alike, also gave the same reasons as they approved the planned fare hike.
50 cents: a joke
Considering the constant expenses for gasoline, maintenance, and the boundary or quota the driver needs to pay (if a driver does not own the jeepney), drivers and operators are not happy with the news.
Most of the jeepney drivers’ total daily income deflates to P300-P500 since they cut P600 for their boundary and P600-P800 for the total cost of the gasoline.
“Hindi sapat kasi nagtaas ang diesel ng piso. Kaya wala rin ’yung pasahe. Tabla lang,” Romeo Gabriel, a driver, said.
(It’s not enough because the diesel has increased by one peso. That fare increase will still be useless. It is just the same.)
Frederick Segundo, another driver, also expressed his dismay regarding LTFRB’s plan.
“[…] dahil laging tumataas yung diesel at saka mga bilihin. Ibabawas pa sa kita ang boundary tsaka sa diesel. Minsan nasa P200 lang ang natitira sa kita kapag tag-ulan kasi sa taxi sumasakay ang mga nag-cocommute,” Segundo said.
([…] because the prices of the diesel and goods are in constant increase. The boundary and the expense for gasoline will be deducted from the income. Sometimes, only P200 is left in our daily income when it’s rainy season because commuters prefer to ride taxis.)
While others only expressed their disappointment, Daniel Lacqueen, 66, operator, insisted the increase to be one peso since they also have to pay a big amount for the fare matrix.
“Dapat piso. Magbabayad kami sa LTFRB ng P500. ’Pag nagtaas ng pamasahe, kukuha kami ng [fare] matrix, isang kopya. Tapos ipapa-laminate ko pa, P150. Kung may babayaran ang mga driver at operator sa matrix, wala rin ’yung 50 centavos,” he said.
(It should be one peso. We will pay P500 in LTFRB. When the fare increases, we will get a fare matrix. One copy. Then I will have it laminated, for P150. If the drivers and operators are required to pay for the matrix, the 50 cents will be useless.)
Edited by Antoinette Mandap
Jeepney passing by Rizal Park Baguio City.
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