|
AN
umbrella group of trucking companies has deferred a
proposal to increase fees after it saw that pump prices
have been declining during the past few weeks.
The
Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines
(CTAP) said Tuesday that while its rate-hike petition
has been suspended, it will be proposed anew once fuel
prices go up.
“We have
yet to come out with the percentage of increase. We have
yet to abandon our proposed increase, but if oil prices
continue to decline, I think we will be able to
temporarily suspend the increase,” CTAP president
Rodolfo de Ocampo said.
De
Ocampo added that the group may continue to charge its
current rates a little longer if the government—through
the Department of Energy—allows trucking operators to
enjoy the P1 discount per liter of diesel enjoyed by
passenger jeepneys.
According to CTAP, approving the fuel discount for
trucks will enable operators to save up to P200 on every
trip.
Earlier,
the group said that its members need to charge higher
rates since operators have been trying to hold on to
their current rates for almost two years.
Its
members’ fuel expenses already account for about a third
of its overall expenditures, up from the recent 25
percent, since its rates have remained constant for some
time, de Ocampo said.
CTAP
members, which manage an estimated 5,000 vehicles,
follow standard rates per destination, which varies from
point to point.
Diesel,
the most common fuel used by trucks, increased
significantly by almost 15 percent in the last few
months from P32 per liter to P36 per liter, but it has
been reduced by P1 per liter shortly before the Energy
Summit earlier this month.
Last
year, the group said its members posted 10-percent
growth, the first time in almost three years, but
clarified that additional earnings were wiped out by
rising fuel and spare-parts costs.
CTAP’s
rate-hike proposal followed the petition of operators
serving the Manila North Harbor, which sought a fee
increase of P5,915 per 20-footer container from P5,100.
|
