Transport Group Pushes 100 Percent Capacity & Drops Petition for Fare Hike
A major transport group is currently pushing for 100 percent capacity and dropped their petition for fare hike.
The Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators ng Pilipinas (LTOP) announced that they would withdraw its petition for a P3 fare increase. The group made the announcement after the government promised to provide P1 billion subsidy.
The government said that the P1 billion subsidy aims to help the registered public utility drivers cope with the consecutive weeks of oil price hike. They also want the subsidy to be given directly to the drivers.
LTOP president Orlando Marquez said that they wanted to return the minimum fare from P9 to P10. The P1 change reportedly become a source of friction between passengers and drivers, according to the group/
Assistant Transportation Secretary Steven Pastor said that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has also expressed its opposition against any fare increase and reiterated that the surge in fuel price must not be charged to commuters.
Marquez also said that LTOP is supporting Tugade’s proposal to increase the passenger capacity in public utility vehicles up to 100 percent. He explained that precautionary measures are still needed to prevent possible COVID-19 transmissions.
The Transportation Department explained that the agency’s proposal was based on economic and medical considerations as demand for public transport increases due to reopening of more businesses.
“Metro Manila is the ideal place to test the proposal considering that 81.4 percent of its population is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In addition, public utility jeepneys and buses operating in Metro Manila are well-ventilated,” the DOTr said.
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