No fare hike

The riding public has a  reason to celebrate after the Cebu Integrated Transport Services Cooperative Inc. (Citrasco) said it was withdrawing its  petition for a P2.50 hike in jeepney fare.

The withdrawal was  announced during a consultation held by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) at the Cebu Normal University campus in Cebu City.

Citrasco president Ryan Yu announced the move at the start of the hearing.

“I would like to manifest that  Citrasco is withdrawing the petition but with an appeal to the LTFRB to strengthen the enforcement of Joint Administrative Order (No. 2014-01) against colorum vehicles,” Yu said.

‘Colorum’ or unregistered public utility vehicles operate without a franchise  from the LTFRB.

JAO No. 2014-01 contains a revised schedule of penalties for  violators of transport laws and rules, including a P1 million fine for colorum vehicles.

“I realized that if we eradicate illegal public utility vehicles, operators will have increased revenue even without a fare hike,” Yu said.  He estimated the increase to be 20-30 percent.

The hearing was the first decentralized fare hike petition  hearing to be conducted in the regions instead of just in Manila, a reform announced in June3 by  LTFRB chairman Winston M. Ginez.

Yu said Citrasco would refile its fare hike petition if the campaign to root out colorum buses and jeepneys fails.

The public hearing yesterday  lasted a little more than  10 minutes.

Members of the LTFRB-7 panel who would have heard the pros and cons of the petition lawyer Evelyn Carmelita, LTFRB-7 Assistant Regional Director Reynaldo Elnar, and LTFRB-7’s hearing officer lawyer Edwin Antepuesto.

Antepuesto told Yu to put his withdrawal in writing and submt it within three days.

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Transport group withdraws P2.50 fare hike petition