FOLLOWING the reduction of jeepney fees in Metro Manila, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said it is also considering cutting the fares for taxis, shuttle services, airport taxis and public- utility buses due to recent rollbacks in diesel prices.
The regulator made this statement on Thursday, after a lawmaker petitioned for the reduction of fares in other transportation modes due to the continuous plummeting of fuel prices.
The petition, submitted by Rep. Manuel M. Iway of the First District of Negros Oriental on Wednesday, will be heard on January 9 at the regulator’s headquarters in Quezon City.
Iway, a former board member of the LTFRB, asked the agency to reduce the flag-down fare for taxis from the existing P40 to P30 and from the current P3.50 to P2.50 for every succeeding 300 meters, for taxi services nationwide; and the reduction of bus fare from P10 to P8 for the first 5 kilometers, and from P1.85 to P1.50 for every succeeding kilometer.
“Nauunawaan po namin na dahil sa sunud-sunod na pagbaba ng presyo ng diesel sa pandaigdigang merkado, kailangan ding maramdaman ng publiko na sumasakay sa mga taxi ang resulta ng paggalaw ng presyo ng krudo, kaya naman naman nagpapatawag ang board ng public hearing upang matugunan ang petition ng ating mangbabatas at consumer group,” LTFRB Chairman Winston M. Ginez said.
The petition was based on the continuous decline of the price of diesel, which is now pegged at P31.15 per liter, from as high as P47.75 per liter three years ago.
Included in the petition was the reduction of airport taxi’s flag-down rate of P70 for the first 500 meters and P4 for every succeeding 300 meters.
The lawmaker has 15 days prior to the date of the hearing to publish the notice of hearing in a newspaper of general circulation. The petitioners shall also submit proof of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements.
On the other hand, the LTFRB will allow parties contesting or opposing the approval of the proposed fare reduction to file in written form their position prior to the hearing date. Both parties must also appear to submit their position papers on the said date.
Lorenz S. Marasigan