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President Gloria Arroyo ordered the implementation of a provisional
fare increase for public vehicles starting today, a radio report
said Tuesday.
The report quoted Transportation Secretary
Leandro Mendoza as saying that President Arroyo had instructed him
to push through with the temporary fare hike, which was earlier
suspended by government.
Malacañang said a Cabinet meeting in Bohol
scheduled for Tuesday to be presided by the President had been
expected to discuss calls made by transport groups for the fare
adjustment.
The government is also planning to give drivers
access cards for them to avail of cheap rice from the National Food
Authority.
On Monday, the Land Transportation and
Franchising Regulatory Board deferred the implementation of the
provisional fare increase for public utility vehicles or PUVs.
Thompson Lantion, the chairman of the regulatory
board, signed an order on Sunday authorizing a temporary fare hike,
also effective today, in the National Capital Region (Metro Manila),
Region 3 (Central Luzon) and Region 4 (Calabarzon and Mimaropa).
Calabarzon is composed of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.
The Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan make up
Mimaropa.
Under the President’s order, minimum fare in
public utility jeepneys in Metro Manila will be increased to P8 from
P7.50. Fare in ordinary buses will be raised to P9 from P8. For
air-conditioned buses, it will be P11.50 from P10.
The increases will only be applied to minimum
fares covering the first five kilometers of travel, not to the
succeeding kilometers.
Drivers and operators in the provinces of
Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog will be allowed to add 10
centavos per kilometer for ordinary buses.
Air-conditioned buses could raise fares by 25
centavos per kilometer.
Also Tuesday, several transport groups warned of
organizing a massive transport strike should the government
permanently defer the implementation of the fare hike earlier
approved by the regulatory board.
-- Angelo S. Samonte
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