Fare rollback starts Monday

P6.50 minimum fare for first 5 kilometers; P5.20 for students, senior citizens, PWDs

Jeepney passengers will pay only P6.50 as minimum fare starting Monday.

For students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs), the fare will be P5.20 because of the 20 percent discount, said Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 Director Reynaldo Elnar.

The LTFRB approved yesterday the provisional fare rollback to P6.50 for the first five kilometers in Cebu and Central Visayas.

To avoid chaos and conflict between the passengers and drivers, Elnar reminded the drivers to give the exact change.

He said refusal to give the change can be a basis for overcharging, even if the amount is just 50 centavos or 20 centavos.

“This is not just the responsibility of the passengers but of the drivers as well. Again, not giving the exact change can be considered as overcharging,” Elnar said.

Under Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01, operators can also be fined P5,000 for overcharging.

LTFRB ORDER

The LTFRB board in Manila headed by chairman Winston Ginez released yesterday, February 5, the order providing the provisional 50-centavo decrease in the minimum fare for Central Visayas, or for the first 5 kilometers.

With the decrease in fuel prices in the previous months, the LTFRB has approved the 50-centavo reduction in the minimum jeepney fare starting Monday in Cebu and Central Visayas. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)

The rate for every succeeding kilometer is unchanged at 90 centavos per kilometer.

The 50-centavo decrease is on top of the 50-centavo reduction granted in January 2015, which brought down the minimum fare to P7.

The provisional reductions were based on former Councilor Augustus Pe Jr.’s petition filed in 2014.

Director Elnar said the LTFRB has decided only to give a provisional decrease because the prices of oil started to increase again this week.

The LTFRB 7 will first publish the new order in a local newspaper with regional circulation on Sunday, so that on Monday, the new rate will take effect.

Elnar asked the operators to also get a certification of the order from their office. The certification, which is free, should  be posted in their respective units.

LIMITED TIME

With the limited time for dissemination, a transport leader criticized the LTFRB officials.

“They waited for two years in making the order and now they are giving us only two days to implement that order. I think there’s something wrong with the LTFRB officials,” said Ryan Benjamin Yu, chairman of the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative (Citrasco).

Yu said his group, which has around 1,000 jeepney units, is not opposed to the rollback.

Elnar admitted that there isn’t enough  time for information dissemination, so he asked media to help inform the riding public and the drivers.

Yu promised to instruct Citrasco member drivers to bring enough coins for change, but also urged passengers to prepare coins.

He said he was worried that arguments would erupt  between drivers and passengers because many drivers are not aware yet of the rollback.

Not all drivers read the newspapers, listen to news on the radio, or watch the news on TV, he said.

“What if the drivers are really unaware of the order and will insist on asking for the P7 fare? Will they still be facing an overcharging complaint?’ he asked.

Yu appealed to the LTFRB 7 for a three-day extension to give drivers until Thursday next week before apprehensions are made.

Drivers apprehended for overcharging will be fined P1,000 while operators will have to pay P5,000.

Yu said he already started informing all his members about the new order.

Aside from Citrasco, the Pagkakaisa ng Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor (Piston) Cebu also expressed support for the fare adjustment.

“We also want the riding public to enjoy what they really deserve. That is why we have not opposed the the petition filed before,” said Greg Perez, Piston Cebu coordinator.

Perez, however, said that they are more worried over  the effects of traffic especially that the repair of the first Mandaue-Mactan bridge will start on Monday.