The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will hear the petition filed by several transport groups which prayed for a P5 increase in the minimum fare, including a provisional adjustment of P1, amid the continued spike in petroleum prices, on September 26.
It was Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP) President Melencio "Boy" Vargas who confirmed that the LTFRB has set the hearing on their fare hike petition for September 26.
Under the said petition, the minimum fare is requested to be raised to P18 from the current P12 for the first four kilometers of the trip.
Aside from ALTODAP, Pasang Masda and Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO) also filed a petition for a P5 fare on jeepneys.
"We are saddened by the unabated increase in the diesel prices and yet the minimum fare is still the same. Drivers are no longer earning," Vargas said.
He said that they are forced to continue their operation as they have no other way to earn money and feed their families.
On Tuesday, oil companies in the country were set to implement another increase in the price of petroleum products.
According to the predictions of oil industry players, the price of diesel may increase from P0.30 to P0.60 per liter; from P0.10 to P0.40 per liter for gasoline; and from P0.20 to P0.50 per liter for kerosene.
