Commuters’ rights groups support P2 jeep fare hike

Commuters’ rights advocates in the country said on Tuesday they were supporting moves to increase jeepney fares but by only up to P2 so as not to put too much burden on commuters.

National Center Commuter Safety and Protection chairperson Elvira Medina told the Inquirer they were supporting the call of Pasang Masda president Obet Martin for a P2 increase in the minimum fare of public utility jeepneys.

“However, we will oppose the proposal of (a) minimum fare of P15 plus additional fare on succeeding kilometers,” Medina said, adding that an increase in the minimum fare will greatly affect minimum wage earners as this was not considered in the recent wage hike.

Effective June 4, minimum wage in the National Capital Region was increased by P33 to P570 a day for non agricultural workers and to P533 for agricultural workers

Wage hikes were also implemented in 13 other regions in the country including the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Bicol, Calabarzon ((Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro Occidental and Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), and Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos).

According to Medina, an average Filipino worker takes about three rides going to their place of work, spending about P45 pesos for a one-way trip.

“The impact bites on the stomach of the commuters,” Medina said further.

Primo Morillo, the convenor of ‘The Passenger Forum” also shared the same sentiment, saying they would support measures that would help jeepney drivers to stay afloat amid rising oil prices that have the least amount of burden on commuters.

“P2 is the lowest increase we’ve seen in the petition. If that is the lowest and they will not ask for more in the succeeding kilometers, then that is the lightest burden we see that can be passed on to commuters,” Morillo told the Inquirer in Pilipino.

“Due to tough times, amid economic problems and with the value of the peso falling, there are many commuters who understand the need to increase the fares,” Morillo said, noting that not increasing the fare could lead to less jeepneys on the streets, and hence, more problems for commuters.

Morillo also urged the government to address the seeming lack of public utility jeepneys  to meet the increased transportation demand amid the return of face-to-face classes in public and private schools .