By Darryl John Esguerra
MANILA – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will consult the Marcos administration’s economic managers regarding the proposed PHP1 provisional fare hike, Secretary Vince Dizon said Thursday, amid rising clamor from transport groups reeling from big-time fuel price hikes.
In a Palace briefing, Dizon said the government is weighing the concerns of public utility drivers and operators while also protecting the riding public from additional burden.
“Pag-uusapan po natin iyan, ‘no? Kasi alam ninyo naman na kailangan natin balansehin din iyong epekto ng pagtaas ng pasahe sa ating mga commuters, sa ating mga kababayan (We will have to discuss that, because we need to balance the impact of any fare hike on our commuters and fellow citizens),” Dizon said.
“Kailangan pag-aralan natin at i-balanse natin ng mabuti iyan, so iko-konsulta na po natin iyan sa ating economic team para makakuha tayo ng guidance (We need to study and carefully balance this, so we’ll consult the economic team to get guidance).”
Transport groups, including Pasang Masda, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Altodap) and Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations, have been lobbying for a fare hike due to rising oil prices, which the Department of Energy attributed to the conflict between Israel and Iran.
To mitigate the effects of rising fuel prices, the government is preparing to roll out a PHP2.5-billion fuel subsidy program for jeepneys, buses, taxis, ride-hailing services and delivery vehicles.
Dizon said a total of 1,132,407 drivers are expected to benefit from the subsidy program, including 258,712 public utility vehicle drivers; 723,695 tricycle drivers; and 150,000 delivery riders. (PNA)
