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[av_heading heading=’BIG-TIME OIL PRICE HIKE
Drivers seek P.50 fare hike, too ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO City – Prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene soar by more than a peso today. Hard-up jeepney drivers are seeking an increase in fares.
The fuel price increases take effect at 6 a.m.
The price of gasoline will increase by P1.50 per liter, kerosene by P1.40 per liter, and diesel by P1.20 per liter.
“The increases are too steep. These are too much for us jeepney drivers to bear,” said Raymundo Parcon, president of the Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICLAJODA).
Parcon told Panay News his group will file a petition for fare increase today before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 6.
ICLAJODA will be seeking a 50-centavo increase.
Parcon said they expect fuel prices to further rise in succeeding weeks.
“We hope the LTFRB will approve our petition. We, drivers, are at the losing end of the fuel price increases,” he said.
The current minimum jeepney fare is P6.50 for regular passengers and P5 for students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
The “boundary” or daily jeepney rent will surely increase, too, said Parcon.
“A driver currently goes home with a meager P400 after a day’s work but this could further plummet to P200. This is not enough for a family, more so if the driver has children going to school,” he added.
Commuter Raymund Cerenio was hopeful the fuel price increases are just temporary.
“Kay kun mag sige-sige, more probably may fare hike naman,” Cerenio told Panay News.
The over a peso increase in gasoline and diesel prices shocked a private car owner who asked not to be named.
“This is too much,” he blurted out.
Department of Energy (DOE) spokesperson Felix Fuentebella attributed the increases to the weak peso and the ongoing talks in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Data from the DOE last week showed that diesel prices ranged from P25.75 to P29.32 per liter and gasoline from P34.60 to P44.10 per liter.
Petron, Sea Oil and PTT Philippines are among the oil companies increasing their prices.
Tricycle and private jeepeney owner Ana Liza Sencil said she was not surprised.
“Naanad naman kita sine nga saka,” Sencil told Panay News./PN
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