JEEPNEY fares will not reach P50 as a result of the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said.
The LTFRB dismissed such a scenario after some commuter groups warned of a steep increase in the minimum fare due to the high cost of acquiring and maintaining modern jeepneys.
Fares are currently at P13 for traditional jeepneys and P15 for modern jeepneys.
“Napakalayo po ng P15 sa P50. Ang ganyang nilulutang ng commuter group ay walang katotohanan. That’s statistically impossible na mag-impose ang modern jeepneys ng ganyang ka-exorbitant na pasahe,” LTFRB Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III said in a statement on Thursday.
Guadiz also said that in coming up with fare hike projections, a study must be conducted and various factors, including fuel prices, must be taken into consideration.
“Where are they getting their data? Pinag-aralan ba nila iyan? You just can’t blurt out things like that,” Guadiz said.
He said since the PUV modernization program was introduced in 2017, fares have only gone up by P2.
“Noon pa man ay binabalanse na ng LTFRB ang pangangailangan ng mga tsuper at komyuter kapag tumataas ang presyo ng petrolyo. Kaya naman ho, walang lohika ang sinasabi nilang P50 na pamasahe sa loob ng limang taon,’’ Guadiz said.
