PUV Fare Hike Looms in Region 7

Starting Wednesday, May 8, jeepney commuters in Central Visayas will see their minimum fares go up by at least 20 percent. This after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) approved a proposal for the provisional fare increase in the region. The proposal was signed into resolution by Board Chairman Martin Delgra and Board Member Ronaldo Corpus.

Minimum fare for traditional jeepneys in Central Visayas--which includes the highly-urbanized cities of Cebu, Dumaguete, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu--will go up from PHP6.50 to PHP8.00 for the first five kilometers. The fare for air-conditioned jeepneys on the other hand, will go up from PHP8.00 to PHP9.60.

Even with the fare increase, Eduardo Montealto, LTFRB director in Central Visayas, assures the public that the additional payment for every succeeding kilometer stays at Php0.90 centavos.

Montealto emphasized that the provisional status of the fare increase means that the LTFRB can lift it anytime should fuel prices stabilize. Jeepney drivers and operators in the region can start collecting the higher fare once they obtain the new fare matrix from LTFRB, which costs PHP50 per copy.

Montealto added that those who do not have a copy of the matrix cannot ask passengers to pay the increased fare. Those found in violation of this rule face a hefty fine of PHP5,000.

Transport groups on both the national and local level such as The National Confederation of Transportworkers Union (NCTU) and the Basak/Lapu-Lapu City Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (BALACJODA) welcomed the approval of the LTFRB resolution.