An LTFRB-7 personnel works on the taxi meter that was brought to their recalibration center at the South Road Properties (SRP) on Thursday.
/CDN photo/Lito Tecson
Increased taxi fare
Since Monday, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) has so far recalibrated the meters of only 17 of the 6,000 registered taxi units in Cebu.
LTFRB-7 Director Ahmed Cuizon said operators have until June 4 to submit their units for recalibration to avoid payment of the P200 per day fine.
“Ayaw namo paglangay-langay aron maka benepisyo namo sa inyong gihaguan (Comply with the recalibration requirement as soon as you can so you can already benefit from the increased fare),” he said.
Cuizon said only drivers of recalibrated units are allowed to collect the increased taxi fare rate which LTFRB approved on October 4, 2017.
Under the approved rate, drivers will now be allowed to collect the P40 flag down rate for the first 500 meters. Another P13.50 will be added per
kilometer for the succeeding kilometers of travel and another P2 per minute waiting time.
“Finally, inyong petition gidungog na sa board og napasaka na ang pletehan,” Cuizon said in an interview with Cebu Daily News.
Taxi driver Janny Superales, 36, said he is looking forward to collecting the increased taxi fare.
A driver for 15 years, Superales said any additional income is expected to help caution the effects of the implementation of the Tax Reform for
Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) Law especially on the increasing cost of fuel.
“Uyon mi ana kay mahal na kaayo ang gasolina ug traffic pud kaayo. Nalipay mi mga driver nga miumento na (ang pletehan),” he told CDN.
LTFRB started to recalibrate taxi meters on Monday in a makeshift tent which they set up close to the Sugbu Building at the South Road Properties (SRP).
Cuizon said they will accommodate taxi units based on the last digit appearing on their respective plate numbers.
Units with plate numbers ending in 2 and 7 are scheduled for recalibration from February 19 to March 12 while those with plate numbers ending in 3 and 8 are scheduled from March 19 to April 2.
Those units with plate numbers ending in 4 and 9 are scheduled for calibration from April 3 to April 23. Others with plate numbers ending in 5, 0, 1 and 6 are scheduled from April 24 to May 14 and May 15 to June 4, respectively.
Cuizon said operators will be asked to pay at least P1,100 to cover the cost of the recalibration, testing and resealing of the taxi meters, inspection and verification fees and legal research fee.
On top of the recalibration requirement, operators will also be required to install Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Wi-Fi connection, closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera and dashboard camera on their units.
“These gadgets are for the safety and convenience for our passengers,” Cuizon said.