BY CHELSEA JEAN VALENTOS, MERRY CRIS DURON, & ROSELYN DIAZ/DNSC interns
THE TRICYCLE Alliance of Davao City filed a petition on Tuesday’s City Council session for an additional P10 to the minimum fare, as their take-home pay has been reduced due to the rising fuel prices.
Represented by chairman Michael Ybañez, the group requested lawmakers to file a resolution supporting their request to increase the fare to P20, plus P5 per kilometer.
Ybañez said the current P10 minimum fare for tricycles is already out of date since it was last approved in 2020.
Earlier, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) approved the petition of transport groups to increase the fare for provincial buses, jeepneys, and Transportation Network Vehicle Services (TNVS).
On March 14, the agency okayed the P0.35-P1 fare increase for provincial buses.
LTFRB XI also approved a P1 increase for the first four kilometers, including a 20-centavo adjustment per kilometer, in the minimum fare for traditional and modern jeepneys. As for the TVNS, a flat rate of P20 has been added to the fare.
The new rates should have started on March 19, but President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued an order maintaining the status quo.
Marcos said that it is not the time to increase the fare, considering the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
“I-defer natin yan, i-postpone na muna natin yan dahil ay nasa gitna ngayon tayo nitong sitwasyon na ito na kailangan patuloy ang ating pag-alalay sa commuter, manggagawa, estudyante,” he said.
Marcos emphasized the need to continue providing support to affected Filipinos, especially the users of the transportation system.
