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100+ ‘modified’ routes ahead of sch opening- LTFRB
By J.Lo
“Yes, more than 100 routes that we will open next week, before opening of classes on August 22…we will issue memorandum circular on this new routes or modified routes as you will call it to address need for more buses ang vehicles for the face-to-face classes,” Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Cheloy Garafil told reporters after second hearing of the agency on the petition for fare hike on public utility buses.
LTFRB said is planning to open over 100 bus, jeepney, and UV Express routes in Metro Manila to augment public transportation supply in anticipation of reopening of face-to-face classes this month.
“The routes are comprised of buses, jeepneys, and UV Express,” she said.
The LTFRB chief said agency, as per directive of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, will open modified routes in areas with many schools such as University Belt in Manila as more public transportation will be needed to cater to students who will be going back to school after two years.
As an example, Garafil said that Fairview-Sapang Palay-Quezon Avenue bus route will be extended all the way to Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, and will be traversing España Boulevard which is know as major thoroughfare going in an out of the University Belt.
As for jeepneys and UV Express, she said “all non-EDSA routes will be reopened.”
In July, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced it will reactivate routes for city buses in Metro Manila in time for reopening of schools on August 22.
Apart from reinstating city bus routes, the DOTr Road Sector recommended improve deployment of public utility vehicle (PUV) units through formulation and mandating compliance to Service Plans (peak hour deployment at 90% to 100% of PUVs authorized;opening of additional routes as may be deemed necessary; fast-tracking of fare review and evaluation of non-operational routes, and introduce developmental routes; offering of free rides for students on LRT2 and EDSA Busway; and extension for another two years life span of school services that have reached 15-year maximum limit by December 2022.
For its part, MMDA will deploy 2,238 personnel along major roads and within high-density schools in Metro Manila with 581 traffic enforcers to be dispatched to 148 schools in the National Capital Region (NCR) for resumption of classes.
LTFRB is keen on approving petition of operators to increase fares for public utility buses, but will take into consideration guidance from National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to ensure balance on welfare of both drivers and operators as well as commuters.
“The last bus fare increase was in 2018 and the diesel then was just P44, so we recognize there is need for an increase but how much, of course, we will have to see what NEDA will say,” Garafil told reporters following second hearing of the agency on the petition for fare hike on public utility buses.
The first hearing was conducted on July 28, 2022.
LTFRB is tackling joint petition by the Southern Luzon Bus Operators Association, Nagkaisang Samahan ng Nangangasiwa ng Panglalawigang Bus sa Pilipinas, and Samahang Transport Operators ng Pilipinas Inc., they requested a P20 minimum fare for first five kilometers in the air-conditioned buses from P13, and a charge of P3.40 per kilometer beyond five kilometers.
The petition also called for increase in the minimum fare in the ordinary buses from P11 to P15, with a P2.70 charge per kilometer.
For the provincial PUB, the petitioners requested P15 minimum fare in ordinary buses with charge of P2 per kilometer. In air-conditioned PUB, charge is P2.50 per kilometer for regular air conditioned buses, P2.60 per kilometer for De Luxe, P2.70 per kilometer for Super De Luxe, and P3.60 per kilometer for Luxury.
Garafil said that during hearing, president of Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection Atty. Ariel Inton’s position was to agree to at least P2 increase bus fare increase for the first five kilometers but said the fare hike for succeeding should be tempered as it will have an impact to commuters.
“That’s why, we want to see effect of this based on NEDA study on the effect of incremental fare increases per succeeding kilometers,” Garafil said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The LTFRB chief said second hearing is last hearing that will be conducted by the agency for bus fare hike petition, adding regulatory body is awaiting NEDA’s position before deeming petition as “submitted for resolution.”
Garafil said NEDA is expected to submit its study next week, after which LTFRB will have another week to decide on the petition.
“We need the position of the NEDA because LTFRB doesn’t want to add on the inflation as any increase, although minimal, still has an effect that’s why we need guidance of NEDA on this,” she said.
“We will balance it out… because we cannot just side with one party, we have to balance…while we recognize that oil prices have increased since last fare hike for buses, we also recognize this will have an impact on passengers…that is why we are very very careful in crafting resolution for this case,” she said.
The LTFRB chief said increasing bus fare will help operators since “many of them are out of business because of high prices of fuel and there are routes which were cut, so this will help them.”
“Our primary consideration is to get balance on how to help bus operators at the same time it won’t be too burdensome for passengers,” she concluded.
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