The Philippine National Taxi Operators Association (PNTOA) on Tuesday urged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to act on its filed motion for reconsideration (MR) to increase the flag-down rate by ₱30 amidst the rising prices of petroleum.
Interviewed during DZRH's Damdaming Bayan, PNTOA President Bong Suntay said their motion has been pending for a year now.
"Ang sinasabi lang namin na sana aksyunan na yung finile namin na motion for reconsideration," he said.
According to Suntay, the last fare increase that LTFRB approved for taxis was six years ago, back in 2017.
In 2021, he said they filed a petition for an increase of ₱30 in flag down rate.
Suntay noted that they filed this petition at the same time that bus, jeepney, and transport network vehicle services (TNVS) operators filed respective petitions seeking fare increase.
"Sadly ang nangyari, yung petition ng bus, ng mga jeepney, at TNVS ay pinagbigyan ng LTFRB. Samantalang sa taxi, yung petition namin na additional ₱30 flag down rate, hindi na-grant ito," the PNTOA President said.
He added that the LTFRB only granted a ₱5 additional flag-down rate.
"Instead of availing yung desisyon na yun, nag-file kami motion for reconsideration as early as year ago," Suntay said.
Once the LTFRB approved the transport group's MR for ₱30 increase, the flag-down in taxis will rise to ₱70 from the current ₱40.
The PNTOA President said this will greatly help taxi drivers who are only taking home ₱300 to ₱500 daily.
"Talagang hirap na hirap na sila. In fact, kapag lumabas ka ng mall, o pansinin mo sa kalsada, hindi na kagaya ng dati na makikita mo ang fleet operated taxi. Dati rati, palagay ko, marami kang makikita pero ngayon, palagay ko, hindi mo na makikita," he shared.
"Ang utilization rate namin ay down to 52 percent. Wala nang naglalabas ng sasakyan dahil wala na silang kinikita eh," Suntay added.
