Drivers and transport operators on Tuesday said a newly approved fare increase for public utility vehicles (PUVs) is not enough to offset rising fuel costs, as authorities brace for a nationwide transport strike on 19 March.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) approved fare increases effective Thursday, 19 March, raising jeepney fares from P13 to P14, modern jeepneys from P15 to P17, ordinary buses from P13 to P15, air-conditioned buses from P15 to P18, and provincial buses from P11 to P12.
But drivers said the adjustment barely covers their daily expenses as diesel prices, which power traditional jeepneys, have breached the P100-per-liter mark.
“Add one peso? What will that do? You add one peso, then fuel will hit one hundred. Only the operators will profit. The boundary isn’t even being reduced,” said Robert, a jeepney driver on the Buendia-Guadalupe route.
He said he is considering quitting once he receives the P5,000 subsidy from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and plans to apply as a truck driver.
A 72-year-old tricycle driver from Bataan, Rizaldy, said fare increases in his area — from P20 to P30 — have driven passengers away.
Strike threat
“That’s why many commuters are complaining. But we can’t do anything because the gasoline we use has gone up,” he said, adding that his daily earnings dropped to P400 from P600, barely enough to support his six children.
Ride-hailing rider Angelo Bryan Platilla said they are also pushing for a fare increase. “Our situation as riders is really difficult. We’re all struggling here,” he said.
The looming transport strike threatens to further disrupt commuting.
The Philippine National Police said it is ready to deploy forces to maintain peace and order on 19 March, when transport group PISTON plans a nationwide strike in protest of the rising fuel costs.
“While we understand the concerns of the transport sector, we hope they’ll reconsider. This is not the time to strike,” PNP chief Melencio Nartatez said.
Police have also prepared vehicles for a “Libreng Sakay” program to assist commuters if needed.
Balancing act
For its part, the LTFRB said it remains in close coordination with PISTON but said it must balance relief for drivers with affordability for commuters.
“Our hearts are with them. But after long deliberations, it is difficult to further adjust fares without affecting everyone,” said LTFRB Chairperson Vigor Mendoza II, noting that the increase is one the most generous in two decades.
To cushion the impact, the DSWD has begun distributing P5,000 in cash assistance to tricycle drivers in Metro Manila, with about 139,000 beneficiaries expected.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said a separate P2.5-billion fuel subsidy for drivers and operators is also being prepared, with rollout expected by the fourth week of March.