Taxi passengers can apply reduced flag down rate or report drivers for ‘overcharging’
On Monday, taxi passengers have reason to be happy.
The flag down rate is P10 less or P30 when the trip begins.
Since taxi meters will not be re-calibrated for this provisional or temporary rollback, the meter will not reflect the adjusted figure, so passengers can just deduct P10 from the total amount.
Transport officials anticipate some confusion in the beginning due to the short notice given for the nationwide order of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) which was issued on Friday and takes effect on Monday, March 9.
Taxi drivers are unhappy with the prospect of lower collection, but are required to implement the fare reduction.
If a passenger isn’t given the benefit of a P10 deduction, they can report the driver for “overcharging”, said Reynaldo Elnar, LTFRB-7 regional director.
Just note the taxi cab’s license plate and number and file a complaint with the LTFRB.
“It’s not only drivers will be penalized but also the operators. I would like to appeal to operators to remind their drivers,” Elnar said.
“Operators own the cabs and they know their drivers.”
Elnar said drivers can be penalized with fines for “overcharging” under Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01.
More public hearings will still be held for a final resolution of the petition for taxi fare reduction filed by Negros Oriental Rep. Manuel Iway. He asked for a lower P30 flag down rate, which was granted, but the other request for a rollback to P2.50 for every succeeding 300 meters was not given.
The same rate of P3.50 per succeeding 300 meters applies.
LTFRB member Antonio Enrile Inton Jr., told Cebu Daily News that several taxi operators indicated they would file a motion for reconsideration.
“We are expecting them to submit their motions Monday. Then we will set public hearings,” Inton said.
The hearings will be at the central office in Manila and no longer a round of simultaneous regional hearings, he said.
Petitioner Iway, a former LTFRB regional director in Cebu, called the provisional rollback “too little, too late”.
The LTFRB-ordered rollback was based on the reduction of oil prices in the world market as well as inputs from public hearings held in different regions.
The order was signed by lawyer Winston Ginez, LTFRB chairman, board members lawyer Antonio Enrile Inton Jr. and Engineer Ronaldo Corpus, and Atty, Roberto Cabrera III, LTFRB executive director.
The board said “failure to implement the order shall be penalized under JAO.”
Virgilio Vasquez supports his family of five driving a rented taxi, his main source of income for the past 16 years.
He told CDN his daily income is affected by heavy traffic congestion in Cebu City.
Crawling traffic means fewer passengers and longer time idle on the road.
“We have no problem with the reduced flag down rate if our operators would reduce the cab rental,” Vasquez said in Cebuano.
He said he pays a P1,300 daily rental fee and spends P1,000 for a full gas tank.
“Sometimes because of heavy traffic I only earn P200 in a day,” he said.
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