THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Sunday said it has reduced the jeepney fares in the Ilocos region (Region 1), the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) or Region 2 and Western Visayas (Region 6) by 50 centavos due to the continuous decline of oil price in the world market.
The minimum-fare reduction only covers the first 4 kilometers in the Ilocos and CAR, and the first 5 kilometers in Western Visayas. The fare rate for succeeding kilometers in Regions 1 and 2 remain at P1.40, and P1.15 in Region 6. Persons with disability, senior citizens and students in the region will continue to receive 20-percent discounted fare rates.
The regional offices of the LTFRB in the three regions conducted simultaneous public consultations on January 16. Various representatives of consumer groups, academe and drivers/PUJ operators’ associations attended the meetings.
After getting the side of the various multisectoral groups during the public hearings, the agency, upon the recommendation of the three regional offices, decided to provisionally reduce the minimum PUJ fare from P8.50 to P8 in Region 1, from P8 to P7.50 in Region 2, and from P7.50 to P7 in Region 6.
“Agad tumalima ang aming mga regional offices sa aming order na dinggin ang opinyon ng iba’t ibang sector sa kanilang mga kinasasakupan sa pamamagitan ng public hearing para makapagpatupad kami ng karampatang bawas-pasahe sa kanilang mga lugar,” LTFRB Chairman Winston M. Ginez said. He added: “Ang patuloy na pagbaba ng presyo ng krudo sa pandaigdigang merkado at kailangan ding maramdaman ng mga mananakay sa iba pang rehiyon ng bansa sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatupad ng adjustment sa minimum PUJ fare in their area.”
The prices of diesel had already dropped nine consecutive times bringing the accumulated total net decrease to an average of P9.70 per liter. Last week major oil companies implemented a P1.25 and P1.45 per liter rollback in gasoline and diesel prices, respectively. The latest rollback is the third consecutive price cut this year. Since December last year, the regulator has been ordering jeepney operators from different parts of the country to charge lower fares due to declining diesel prices.