Palace says fare hike petitions under review by LTFRB

MANILA – The petitions for fare hike filed by the public utility jeepney drivers and operators amid the soaring fuel prices is now being deliberated, Malacañang said Monday.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, also acting presidential spokesperson, said a series of hearings will be conducted on the petitions filed in the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

“May mekanismo naman po tayo tungkol diyan, in that—kung magkakaroon ba ng ganiyang mga options (We already have mechanisms on that, if we will have that kind of options), it will have to begin with the recommendation from the Department of Finance,” Nograles said in a press briefing.

Nograles said the series of consultations, dialogues, and results of the ongoing studies of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), will be the basis of the recommendation, which will soon be presented to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

“Let’s take it from there, so iyan po iyong proseso na susundin natin (that’s the process that we need to follow),” he added.

The Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Associations of the Philippines (FEJODAP) is reportedly asking the government to increase the minimum fare in jeepneys by PHP5.

“Given recent developments, the government remains ready to provide targeted relief assistance and support to address the impact of the oil price hike for affected sectors, especially Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) drivers, farmers, and fisherfolk,” it said in a news release.

Based on the assessment of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) as of Feb. 17, the Dubai crude oil price for this year is projected to average at USD 83.3 per barrel, but it is expected to decelerate to USD 79.0 by the end of this year, according to the latest oil futures.

The government is already preparing to release PHP2.5 billion to assist the transport sector under the Fuel Subsidy Program of the Department of Transportation.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has also set aside PHP500 million budget to provide assistance through fuel discounts to farmers and fisherfolk.