ILOILO City — Transport groups in Western Visayas welcomed the national government’s P5,000 fuel subsidy for public transport drivers but said the assistance is insufficient to offset soaring fuel costs, prompting renewed calls for a fare increase for jeepneys and taxis.
Leaders of transport cooperatives and taxi operators said the subsidy offers temporary relief but warned that without fare adjustments, many operators will continue to struggle to cover daily operating expenses amid volatile oil prices linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Raymundo “Boyet” Parcon, chairman of the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative (WVTC), thanked the government for the financial assistance to the transport sector but stressed that the amount would only cover about two days of fuel for minibuses.
In an interview with Panay News, Parcon said minibuses spend around P2,500 daily on fuel, making the one-time subsidy only a short-term remedy.
He said transport operators would appreciate it more if the subsidy were given regularly instead of as a one-time grant, especially since the duration of the Middle East conflict — and its effect on oil prices — remains uncertain.
Because of this, Parcon urged the government to grant provisional authority for transport groups to implement a fare increase so operators can recover rising operating costs.
“Bisan pila man na ang saka, kay sa subong ang kita namon indi gid makatresplaser sa operation namon, sa sweldo sang amon driver, sa sweldo sang aton konduktor, plus ang maintenance pa aton,” he added.
Transport groups are pushing for a P2 to P3 increase in the minimum jeepney fare in Western Visayas.
For minibuses, operators are proposing a P3 increase in the minimum fare for the first four kilometers — from P15 to P18 — and an increase in the succeeding kilometer rate from P2.20 to P2.50, or a 30-centavo adjustment.
For traditional jeepneys, they are seeking a P2 increase in the minimum fare from P13 to P15, while the rate for every succeeding kilometer would rise from P1.50 to P2.
Meanwhile, taxi operators in Panay Island have also filed a fare hike petition before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Regional Office 6.
Perfecto Yap, chairperson of the Association of Taxi Operators of Panay, Inc. (ATOP) and spokesperson of the Western Visayas Alliance of Transport Cooperatives and Corporations, Inc. (WVATCCI), said operators appreciate the government’s recognition of the transport sector’s struggles.
“Daku nga bulig ini sa part sang operators and sa drivers mismo,” Yap said regarding the planned release of fuel subsidies from both the national government and the Iloilo City government.
Yap added that while details of the subsidy distribution have yet to be finalized, he hopes the assistance will be released through the Pasada Card system to ensure the funds are used strictly for fuel.
Although taxi operators did not seek an increase in the per-kilometer rate, they proposed a “trigger mechanism” that would automatically adjust the flagdown rate depending on prevailing gasoline prices.
“We have submitted yesterday sang aton proposal nga something daw may trigger mechanism bala nga kung muni ang presyo, amo ni ang ginapangayo naton nga flag down rate,” Yap said.
Under the proposal submitted to LTFRB-6, the flagdown rate would vary depending on gasoline prices:
* P64 and below per liter – P50 (current flagdown rate)
* P65 to P69 – P55
* P70 to P74 – P60
* P75 to P79 – P65
* P80 to P84 – P70
* P85 to P90 – P75
* P90 to P94 – P80
* P95 to P100 – P85
At present, taxi fares approved by the LTFRB in March 2024 remain at P50 for the first 0.5 kilometer, P13.50 for every succeeding kilometer, and P150 per hour for waiting time.
Yap noted that taxi operators deliberately avoided requesting an increase in the succeeding kilometer rate because such adjustments usually take longer to be approved by regulators./PN