The National Confederation of Transport Workers’ Union Northern Mindanao (NCTU-10) would rather resume the full seating capacities in public utility vehicles (PUVs) than increase the fare rates due to oil price hikes.
In a phone interview on Monday, NCTU-10 coordinator Joel Gabatan, said they will request the improvement of the passenger capacity.
“If the fare will increase, it will be an additional burden to the commuters and we understand that, as we also commute. As of now, we don’t want to demand a fare increase because the people are still suffering the problem due to the pandemic,” he said.
Returning the full sitting capacity would be better to help the PUV drivers affected by the oil price hike, Gabatan said.
As of February 15, the oil companies implemented a price increase in domestic oil products. Gasoline has increased by PHP1.20 per liter, diesel by PHP1.05 per liter, while kerosene has risen by PHP0.65 per liter, according to the Department of Energy.
Gabatan said they will submit the request to the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) central office.
LTFRB-10 Director Aminoden Guro said their central office and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) requested the 100 percent capacity due to the downtrend of Covid-19 cases this year.
However, only 70 percent capacity has been approved by Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
“We already requested, especially our DOTr for the sitting capacity. The office that did not allow the 100 percent (sitting capacity) is not from our office, but the IATF,” Guro said.
Gabatan, however, will also try to personally ask the help of LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra III.
“He (Delgra) may visit here as he will be meeting all the cooperatives. However, if the chairman says that we need to submit a formal letter, we will do it as well,” Gabatan said.
Guro said Delgra may conduct a transport forum in the city if there is an available time after an event in Marawi City on February 23.
Other than improving the passenger capacity amid Covid-19, the NCTU-10 also wants to raise the assistance for the PUV drivers through the Pantawid Pasada Program (PPP) and the abolition of the excise tax hike.
Last year, Cagayan de Oro’s 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez filed a bill seeking suspension of the collection of the increase in excise taxes on gasoline, diesel, and other oil products for four years, from 2022 to 2025.
The LTFRB on February 18 said the budget for the Fuel Subsidy Program in 2022 has been approved and the office has initiated a series of meetings to ensure the smooth implementation of the program.
Bianca Danika Pontillo, an employee from a private company here and a commuter, in an interview, said fare increase would not be appropriate as the people are still striving to survive amid the pandemic.
She said she is in favor of returning the 100 percent passenger capacity as it will help the drivers, however, with strict health protocols.
“I am okay with that because it will definitely help our drivers, instead of fare increase. But the drivers, as well as the passengers must also strictly observe the health protocols to avoid virus transmission,” Pontillo said. (PNA)
