AN association of taxicab operators filed a petition for an “emergency relief,” or additional P10 for every passenger ride, before the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), claiming that the daily income of taxicab drivers is no longer enough owing to the rising cost of basic commodities.

Leonida Naval, Association of Taxi Operators in Metro Manila president, said the drivers’ take-home pay has been reduced to a measly P300 a day as compared with the almost P1,000 a day before.

This is the main reason, Naval said, why some taxi drivers resort to contracting passengers or being selective, risking arrest by traffic law enforcers who are deployed to go after abusive cab drivers under the Oplan Isnabero of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) just to earn more and survive.

But Naval made it clear that the P10 emergency relief is only added to the total fare registered in the meter.

Under the petition, the P30 flagdown rate that is good for the first 500 meters  of a trip remains, along with the P2.50 per succeeding 300 meters thereafter and the P2.50-per-two-minutes waiting time.

Naval said the LTFRB should approve the petition, because of the spiraling price of petroleum products.

Taxicabs operators use the boundary system in their business. Under the system, the driver pays a fixed “boundary” to the operator. The driver defrays the cost of fuel and washing the vehicle.

The last time that ATOMM sought a rate increase was in 2004, when gasoline was still P25.31 a liter.

Decision to lift oil VAT hinges on DOF

THE government’s position on the removal of the expanded value-added tax (E-vat) on electricity rates hinges on a review being conducted by Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, Palace officials said Wednesday.

President Arroyo has ordered the release of P12,576,938,000 to local government units for the internal revenue allotment (IRA) difference caused by the reenactment of the 2001 and 2004 national budgets.

AN association of taxicab operators filed a petition for an “emergency relief,” or additional P10 for every passenger ride, before the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), claiming that the daily income of taxicab drivers is no longer enough owing to the rising cost of basic commodities.

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) on Wednesday cautioned the public against the use of airline tickets purchased using counterfeit or unauthorized credit cards through PAL’s online-booking facility.

A PLATOON of soldiers killed two New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas in an encounter at the boundary of Antique and Iloilo, just hours before Maj. Gen. Victor Ibrado assumed the top Army post in a turnover ceremony in Fort Bonifacio on Wednesday.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday welcomed the Libyan government’s effort to help maintain the cease-fire in Mindanao, but doubts if Libyan peace monitors can lead the International Monitoring Team (IMT).

CITING a BusinessMirror exclusive report that the Philippines is “one of the worst places for mothers,” Sen. Edgardo Angara has asked Congress to conduct an in-depth inquiry into cases of maternal and newborn deaths in order to prevent  further increase in the country’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR).