BAGUIO CITY (PIA) -- Beginning on Sunday(October 8, 2023), the nationwide minimum fare for both traditional and modern jeepneys will increase by one peso.

Minimum fare  for traditional jeepneys will increase from P12 to P13, and for modern jeepneys from P14 to P15 after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) approved on  October 3  the P1 provisional fare increase.

This development has generated various opinions from commuters and drivers. 
 
 Arthur Vicente, a driver for  15 years,  said the provisional  P1 fare hike can be hold off  provided the  costs of petroleum products are kept down.
 
“Ang dapat tutukan ng [gobyerno] diyan 'yung pagbaba ng krudo. Tumataas nang tumataas.  Okay na dapat 'yan [pasahe] 'wag ng itaas, basta 'yung krudo, 'yun ang dapat bumaba,” Vicente said. 

Commuters  will feel the  impact  of  the fare increase, but Rogelio Armendral, a jeepney driver for 20 years, noted that drivers like him are also suffering from the continuous rise in fuel prices.
 
“Ganito naman ang sitwasyon natin,  tiis-tiis na lang baka sakaling sa susunod na buwan bumaba ang diesel,” Armendral said.

Some commuters said  they are aware of the P1 fare increase and that they understand the plight of transport workers.
 
“Okay lang din naman po, kasi kung kailangan naman. Tulong na rin natin sa mga driver. Magtulungan na lang,” said Shiela Santiago.

According to a student, inflation may also have contributed to the fare increase. “I guess dala lang yan nun inflation, halos lahat naman ng bilihin tumataas na. Mas mahirap na ngayon kasi nga mas mataas ang pamasahe,” Kyle Nabong said.
 
LTFRB-Cordillera OIC Chief Transportation Development Officer Atty. Laird Dionel Urbanozo explained that the fare increase is only provisional or temporary to mitigate the effects of increasing fuel prices. 
 
“It was a result of continuous increase of the fuel. But again, hindi kasi basta-basta mag-increase, we should also take into consideration 'yung purchasing capacity of people. 'Yun 'yung titignan sa hearing, the board cannot close its eyes that indeed, hindi tumitigil ang pag-increase ng fuel so they have granted that 1 peso provisional fare increase,” Urbanozo said.

“Pag tumaas ang gas, naturally talagang tataas 'yugn pamasahe, pero 'yung sweldo, hindi naman siya tumataas ngayon. That would also be considerations that the board will have to wait in deciding kung ano 'yung tamang fare natin.”
 
Several transportation groups in Manila have filed a petition on August 22, 2023, asking the LTFRB for a five-peso increase in the base fare, or the first four kilometers, and a one-peso increase in the succeeding kilometers.
 
Pending the hearing of the said petition, Urbanozo said the P1 provisional fare increase was approved. (JDP/DEG/Regel Ferrer, SLU Intern-PIA CAR)