Jeepneys near a market in Cagayan de Oro. GSD file Photo
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By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent .

THE Transport Federation of Cagayan de Oro has filed a petition that seeks to increase the minimum jeepney fare here to P10, Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board regional director Aminoden Guro said yesterday.

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Guro said the LTFRB has started studying the petition submitted by Trafeco president Efipaño Tamiok on Monday.

A copy of the petition, according to Guro would be sent to the LTFRB national office in Manila.

The Trafeco petition seeks to increase the jeepney fare here by P2.50 or fromt P7.50 to P10 for the first four kilometers.

Trafeco also asked for 10 centavos more for every succeeding kilometer. If approved that would be from the current P1.40 to P1.50 for every succeeding kilometer.

Tamiok said the petition for a fare increase was submitted because of the increasing prices of fuel and other petroleum products that have already adversely affected jeepney owners and drivers.

Guro said the decision would come from the LTFRB’s central office in Manila.

But before the LTFRB makes a decision, he said, there will be a public hearing in the city to give commuters and other stakeholders the chance to state their positions.

Two public transport groups, the Solidarity of Transport Alliance in Northern Mindanao-Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide and the National Confederation of Transport Unions, did not join Trafeco in its petition.

Starex-Piston secretary general for northern  Mindanao Ringo Lago said his group saw the Trafeco petition as mere  “consuelo de bobo.”

Lago said Trafeco’s leader did not support jeepney owners and drivers’ clamor against the Duterte administration’s public transportation modernization program. The program is seen as a move to phase out 15-year old jeepneys or older.

“Daghang membro sa Trafeco ang   supak sa transport modernization kay dili kini makaya sa mga operator pero ang ilang presidente, si Tamiok, wala magpakabana niini. Ma-o nang iyang gipoyok ang iyang mga membro pina-agi sa iyang pag-file sa petition alang sa usbaw sa plitihan,” said Lago.

Joel Gabatan, NCTU president, wala usab mopirma sa petition ni Tamiok, said the P2.50-increase being sought by Trafeco “is too much.”

“OK man ko sa fare increase, bisag piso lang. Dili P2.50 kay apiktado man gihapon niana ang among pamilya kay pasahero man gihapon kami,” said Gabatan.

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