Transport group seeks P1 fare hike amid rising fuel costs

National

CITING a relentless string of fuel price increases, transport group Pasang Masda has formally petitioned for a P1 provisional fare hike.

If approved, the measure would temporarily raise the minimum base fare from P13 to P14 to cushion the impact on public utility vehicle operators.

The move follows recent announcements from oil companies regarding a fresh round of price hikes. Motorists are bracing for an increase of P1.20 per liter for gasoline, while diesel and kerosene prices are expected to climb by P0.60 per liter.

In a Philstar report, Pasang Masda president Obet Martin expressed the growing desperation within the transport sector, appealing to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for financial relief.

“I’m sure we are able to explain this better due to the many fuel price hikes,” Martin told dzBB in Filipino.

“We are one with all jeepneys, this is already too much for us," he added.

While Martin emphasized that the P1 increase is intended to be a temporary adjustment, he acknowledged the burden it places on the riding public. He noted that the group is balancing the survival of drivers with the economic realities faced by their passengers.

“We understand the plight of our commuters, and how hard it is because of the many problems our country is facing,” Martin stated, hoping for public understanding regarding the proposed provisional hike.(Jhon Mark A. Aboabo USJR Comm Intern)