Public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers would rather receive a bigger fuel discount than a fare increase as oil prices continue to rise amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, a transport leader said Sunday.

Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP) president Melencio “Boy” Vargas said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) recently consulted transport groups on whether they preferred a fare hike or expanded fuel assistance.

“The LTFRB consulted us because it and the Department of Transportation are studying an increase in the fuel discount. They asked us to choose, and we would rather have a P15-per-liter fuel discount than a P1 fare increase,” Vargas said in a radio interview.

He also urged the government to make the fuel discount available nationwide, saying some areas are still excluded from the program.

“We are also hoping they will expand it because some areas still do not receive the discount. We want it implemented nationwide,” he said.

Huge hikes

The appeal comes as motorists brace for another round of fuel price hikes. The Department of Energy projected diesel prices to increase by P6 to P6.50 per liter this week, while gasoline prices are expected to rise by P5.50 to P6 per liter.

The projected increases follow last week’s adjustments, when diesel prices rose by P10.68 per liter, kerosene by P11.77 per liter and gasoline by P3.65 per liter.

In April, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved a P10-per-liter fuel subsidy for PUV operators and drivers, capped at 150 liters per week for three months.

The subsidy coincided with the Department of Transportation’s implementation of a 20 percent fare discount for commuters under its Service Contracting Program, which ended after oil prices stabilized in May.

Several transport groups have since sought fare increases ranging from P2 to P10 to offset higher operating costs. The LTFRB said it is studying the petitions to determine an appropriate adjustment.