By Liwayway Yparraguirre/PNA
DAGUPAN CITY — The public hearing for the fare increase petition filed by public utility jeepney (PUJ) operators in Region 1 (Ilocos region) will be held on Friday at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) regional office in San Fernando City, La Union.
“The petitioners were asking for an increase of minimum jeepney fare from the current PHP8 to PHP12 for the first four kilometers, and additional PHP1.50 for the succeeding kilometer. It will be known during the hearing if there will be oppositions to the proposed fare increase,” Lawyer Anabel Marzan-Nullar, LTFRB-Region 1 transportation development office chief, said in a forum on Thursday.
She said letters of invitation to the public hearing were also sent to different schools in the region, consumer groups, and to government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Nullar said there are over 6,000 PUJs in Region 1, more than 2,000 units of which, are in the province of Pangasinan and La Union. Others are ,in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.
“There are still factors to be considered,” she clarified, stressing that the absence of opposition to the petition is not tantamount to approval of the PHP12 proposed new fare.
The outcome of the hearing will be sent to the central office for study and consideration, she added.
The minimum fare was last increased to PHP8.50 in July 13, 2008, and reduced by P0.50 in 2015.
Nullar said the slight rollback on gasoline prices has no bearing against the stoppage of the petition.
“The increase and decrease of gasoline prices is like a seesaw. There were several increases in the price of gasoline, but only two or three decreases. In Metro Manila, there was a request by the Secretary (DOTR) to hold the implementation of fare increase but the LTFRB chairman gave a go signal,” she explained.
Nullar further said petition for jeepney fare increase is being acted based on the situation per region.
