The Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Thursday ruled out fare hikes as high as P50 following the prompt implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III said the projected fare increase by a commuter group is “statistically impossible” and gave assurance that such exorbitant fare will never happen.
“It’s statistically impossible for modern jeepneys to impose such an exorbitant fare,” Guadiz said, noting the modern jeepney charges only P15 as minimum fare at present.
The LTFRB chairman pointed out that for a projected fare hike to be believable, a study must first be conducted and the various factors assessed.
“Where are they getting their data? Did they make a study? You just can’t blurt out things like that,” Guadiz said.
According to the LTFRB chief, assessments of this nature must be backed by data so as not to alarm the public unnecessarily, especially the commuters.
“The minimum fare for a traditional jeep is P9, whereas a modern jeep costs P11 since the beginning of PUV modernization in 2017. The minimum fare for a traditional jeep is P13, while a modern Jeep is P15 after six years (2023). The P2 difference has never changed,” Guadiz stressed.
“Noon pa man ay binabalanse na ng LTFRB ang pangangailangan ng mga tsuper at komyuter kapag tumataas ang presyo ng petrolyo. Kaya naman ho, walang lohika ang sinasabi nilang P50 na pamasahe sa loob ng limang taon. Statistically impossible ho talaga iyon.”
Guadiz also made an assurance that the LTFRB remains committed to providing better service to the people and stressed that no unreasonable fare hikes will be implemented that would only add burden to commuters.
