Negros Solon Confident Taxi, PUJ Fares Reduced by January

Rep. Manuel Iway (Negros Oriental) has said he is confident his petition to reduce taxi, jeepney and bus fares will be granted by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in January.

Iway based his observation on the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) last week denying the petition filed by 1-United Transport Koalisyon (1-Utak) Party-List for the CA to stop LTFRB from reducing the fares of public utility vehicles (PUVs).

In its decision, the CA 13th Division ruled that the 1-Utak petition for certiorari and prohibition was premature because its motion for reconsideration of the reduction of fare was still pending with the LTFRB.

The CA decision was penned by Justice Normandie Pizarro and concurred by division members Justices Samuel Gaerlan and Ma. Luisa Quijano-Padilla.

They noted that the Supreme Court had consistently ruled that all available administrative remedies must be exhausted first before going to court.

The LTFRB ordered the reduction of taxi flag down rate from PHP40 to PHP30 effective March 9, 2015 but that there’s no need to recalibrate taxi meters because the decrease was temporary.

The March order also did not include the reduction of fare rate per succeeding meters.

Iway pursued his petition and wants the recalibration of taxi meters not only for the flagdown rate from PHP40 to PHP30 but also from PHP3.50 to PHP2.50 per succeeding 300 meters.

Iway said diesel fuel is now very cheap at PHP23 per liter compared to the time the LTFRB raised the flagdown rate to PHP40 when it was PHP52 per liter.

Cebu has 5,137 taxi units, majority of which are using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is sold at PHP26 per liter. (PNA) LAP/EB/EDS