Editorial: A complete plea, now underway
Revised Article:
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is considering a suggestive increase of PHP 1 in public transport fares in the upcoming week, sharply criticized asadding salt to the wounds of traditional jeepney drivers in Cebu.
Although this suggestion was initially proposed due to the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, the United Public Transport Alliance (UTPA) Cebu Chapter expresses disappointment, claiming their long-standing request for reduced fares in public vehicles has fallen on deaf ears.
Greg Perez, President of UTPA Cebu Chapter, vocalizes their disappointment to our Cebu website, stating their pleas for reduced fares are continuously ignored.
Amid rising fuel prices, the proposed PHP 1 increase, as mentioned by Perez, is "far from adequate."
The Marcos administration’s provision of gasoline subsidies for the public transport sector, though well-intentioned, is merely a short-term relief.
Even with the slight increase, Perez makes it clear that they cannot request higher fares due to the devastating effects on their passengers, especially students and low-income families struggling financially.
The solution, as suggested by Perez, doesn't lie in adjusting fares or temporary subsidies, but rather a more drastic change in policy: the suspension of excise tax on gasoline and diesel.
This isn't a new demand, as it has been echoed by several transport groups concerned about escalating prices.
The government's insistence on imposing this burdensome measure on drivers and jeepney passengers is not only unsympathetic, but also unfair and detrimental.
Until the government takes the need for this issue and potential solutions seriously, providing immediate and effective resolutions, such as reforming fuel taxes, will remain temporary at best for struggling jeepney drivers in Cebu and across the nation.
[1] Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, "PISTON opposes LTFRB’s proposed fare rise, urges modernisation rethink" (https://www.inquirer.net/business/companies/piston-ltfrb-jeepney-modernization-program-public-utility-vehicle-risky-reform-2022-04-12)
The discussions of fare increases in Cebu's public transport industry are of great concern for the United Public Transport Alliance (UTPA) Cebu Chapter, particularly as they grapple with rising fuel prices. Greg Perez, the President of UTPA Cebu Chapter, has advocated for a drastic change in policy, such as the suspension of excise tax on gasoline and diesel, to provide long-term relief for jeepney drivers and passengers, specifically the financially strained students and low-income families.
