No order to roll back jeepney fare: LTFRB

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
After more than a year, the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) still has not acted on the Davao City Council’s resolution urging it to reduce jeepney fare rates.
This was confirmed by LTFRB 11 assistant regional director Edgar Violan in yesterday’s AFP-PNP Press Corps forum.
Violan said the regional office forwarded the City Council’s resolution, passed on January 27, 2015, to the Board En Banc of the LTFRB national office which decides on fare rollback requests.
“Way back in 2015 we already forwarded it to LTFRB,” he said.
Violan said the city has not been granted a fare reduction because the transport groups agreed not to file any petition for a rollback.
“Early this year we were required to submit again because we conducted a dialogue and consultation with transport stakeholders. According to the transport groups, they will not, unlike in Manila, file a petition for fare rate decrease,” he said.
He, however, said the transport groups such as Southern Mindanao Diversified Drivers and Operators Cooperative (SEMDOC) and other transport groups in the city will follow such an order if it is given.
“The situation now is, we are awaiting with patience the resolution of the board,” he said.
Violan said last year only the National Capital Region (NCR) and Regions 3 and 4 were granted fare reduction.
He said it is also possible that the decision of the board will be released after the 2016 national and local election.
On January 27, 2015, City Council majority floor leader councilor Bernard E. Al-ag passed a resolution urging the LTFRB to decrease fare rates due to the decrease in fuel prices. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.