No fare increase will be implemented yet for traditional and modern jeepneys, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced, citing that the country has yet to recover from recent calamities.
Last week, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) submitted its recommendations to the DOTr regarding petitions from transport groups seeking to increase the minimum fare from P13 to P14 for traditional units and from P15 to P16 for modern units.
However, in a statement on Friday, the DOTr said, ‘The LTFRB will not yet implement an additional P1 to P2 fare increase for traditional and modern jeepneys after the big-time rollback in the price of diesel the other day.’
Diesel prices were cut by P2.90 per liter last Monday.
DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez added in the statement, ‘The effect of a fare increase on the economy and in general will be big, especially since some provinces affected by intense calamities like earthquakes and typhoons are still recovering.’
The DOTr further cited a finding from a Department of Economy, Planning and Development study that a fare increase may further raise inflation rates in the next two years.
Anti-colorum ops instead
So, the DOTr said it and the LTFRB were searching for ‘alternative ways’ to ease drivers’ and operators’ burdens, saying, ‘One of the ways we see is to strengthen the campaign against colorum.’
‘The DOTr and the LTFRB will establish an Anti-Colorum Task Force, alongside the Department of Justice and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, to dismantle the protectors and syndicates behind these illegal operations,’ the department explained.
The DOTr claimed at least public utility vehicles lose 30 percent of their income to colorum (providing transport services without permits) operations.
The department further urged colorum operations to take advantage of at least 17,000 slots available for transport network vehicle services