As gasoline costs continue to rise, a transportation organization filed a petition with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Thursday to raise the minimum charge in jeepneys to P15.
The Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP), according to a copy of the petition posted by Super Radyo dzBB’s Mark Makalalad, said drivers and operators are unable to give three meals daily to their families due to price spikes in basic necessities.
“The continuous increasing inflation rate, which kicked-up the prices of the basic commodities, pushed the PUJ stakeholders to the edge and can no longer provide 3x a day meal to their respective families,” it said.
“The aforesaid compounded factors, compelled the transportation sector to file this petition and ask for a conservative fare increase of fifteen persons (P15.00) as the minimum fare for the first four kilometers,” it added.
Although LTOP president Orlando Marquez admitted that the fee hike might have an impact on commuters, he claimed that jeepney owners and drivers must make a livelihood.
Group asks for P15 minimum jeepney fare
“Para maka-survive lang po kami kaya ginawa namin ito dahil po sa sobrang taas (ng presyo ng fuel). Alam namin po na masasaktan ang aming pasahero na ikinabubuhay. Pero, ano nga ang gagawin namin kung mamamatay kami? Saan sila sasakay, sa colorum?” he said.
(To survive, we have to do this because the fuel prices are really high. We know that it might hurt our passengers. But, what are we going to do if we die of poverty? Where will our passengers take a ride, on colorum jeepneys?)
Pump prices for petroleum products rose for the ninth week in a row on February 28, adding to costs that had already reached as high as P80 per liter in some parts of the country.
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte has signed an executive order (EO) allowing nuclear power to be used as an energy source alongside other alternative energy sources, claiming that this is necessary to meet the country’s growth goals.
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