The minimum jeepney fare may rise to P30-P40 if drivers and operators would shoulder the P2.8 million imported vehicles under the jeepney modernization program, according to an official from the 1-Rider Partylist on Thursday, January 11.
In an interview during DZRH Damdaming Bayan, 1-Rider Partylist Rep. Ret. Col. Bonifacio Bosita said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) did not comment when they asked about the estimated fare once operators would purchase the million-peso vehicle.
“Nag-compute tayo, ayaw naman nating i-assume na mas marunong tayo sa LTFRB kaya tinatanong natin sila. Kung tayo ay bibili ng P2.8 million na sasakyan, hindi sila makasagot,” he said.
“With that, nakita natin na di pala napag-aralan, saka natin sinabi na base sa estimate, kapag yan ang sasakyang bibilhin, para makabayad ang kooperatiba para sa bawat sasakyan na may halagang P2.8 million. Dapat ang magiging pamasahe, P30 to P40 depende sa layo,” he added.
Ret. Col. Bonifacio Bosita, Representative, 1-Rider Partylist, sa P30 to P40 minimum fare: Bago tayo dumalo sa hearing kahapon, nag-compute na tayo.#DamdamingBayan#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) January 11, 2024
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According to Bosita, LandBank stated that with every P1.6 million loan, a six percent per annum payable for seven years would be imposed to cover the cost of the imported million-peso modern jeepney.
He also claimed that others have purchased from importers, but they found out during the hearing that many have failed to pay for the unit.
“Ang iba, bumili na sa importers. Napag-alaman natin kahapon, marami na ang hindi nakakabayad,” he said.
The party-list representative said the commuters would suffer the brunt of this fare hike.
“Kapag papaboran ang imported vehicles at hindi locally manufactured vehicles ang bibilhin sa modernization program, hindi drivers ang direktang babalikat diyan,” Bosita said.
“Magagamit lang silang instrumento pero ang tunay na babalikat, milyon-milyong kababayan kasi saan kukuha ng panghulog ang mga kooperatiba,” he added, urging to use the locally manufactured jeepneys instead.
“Dapat nating ipilit [ang locally manufactured] kasi 'yan ang nararapat para ang kababayan, hindi papasanin ang programang ito,” Bosita said.
He also underscored that they were not against the PUVMP’s implementation, but he was baffled that imported vehicles were prioritized over local manufactures who have enough capability on their own.
“Paglilinaw lang, hindi tayo kumukontra sa modernization program. Kinunontra natin na may kapasidad ang local manufacturers, bakit tayo bibili ng mamahaling sasakyan na ipapabalikat naman sa taong bayan,” party-list representative said.
