Starting April 1, commuters will have to pay P3 higher after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board approved the fare hike in Central Visayas. | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Higher bus fare rates will greet travelers in Cebu beginning April 1.
Regional Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) said bus units in the region that had acquired the new fare matrix could already impose the P9 minimum fare for the first five kilometers and the P1.15 charge for each succeeding kilometer.
The new minimum fare for buses is P3 higher than the present rate in Cebu which is at P6 while the per succeeding kilometer charge is increased by 15 centavos from the present P1.40.
Read more: CV commuters to pay P9 minimum bus fare starting April 1
LTFRB-7 Director Eduardo Montealto | CDN Digital file photo
Montealto, in an interview on Thursday, said the regional office received the memorandum circular from the LTFRB Central Office for the provisionary fare increase last November. However, they did not implement it due to non-uniformity of the bus fare rates in Central Visayas.
“Ang atong bus fare rate gyud nationwide since November duna na tay nadawat nga memorandum circular P0.15 gyud na ang increase sa succeeding kilometers. Wala nato na-implement kay nangayo ta og clarification kay wala kahibawo ang Manila nga P6 ra ang atong fare rate diri, unya ang order says i-implement nga P9 ang minimum fare,” Montealto said.
(We received a memorandum circular stating that the increase for the succeeding kilometers is 15 centavos per kilometer. We did not implement this because we have to ask for a clarification since our Manila office did not know that our minimum fare rate was P6 per kilometer here. And, I was ordered to implement the P9 minimum fare.)
In a recent conference held in Camiguin, Montealto said the officials of LTFRB have agreed to implement the P9 base fare and the P1.55 per succeeding kilometer charge which is the uniform matrix nationwide.
“Duna tay consultation didto, atong gipangutana ang NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) hangtud nga sa conference nato nationwide didto sa Camiguin, naa nay instruction ang board sa akoa nga P9 ang minimum,” Montealto said.
(We have a consultation there in Camiguin, and we asked NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) during the nationwide conference there about it, and we have been instructed by the board to implement the P9 minimum bus fare.)
“Ang increase gyud national is 15 centavos lang per kilometer pero sa atoa man gud di nato matawag nga 15 centavos ra ang increase kay naa may P3 nga increase sa minimum fare,” he added.
(The national fare increase for succeeding kilometers is 15 centavos, but we could not call the increase in the region as 15 centavos per kilometer since we also have a P3 increase in the minimum fare.)/dbs