Baguio City council to LTFRB: Fix fare rates

BAGUIO CITY – The city council approved a resolution requesting the Cordillera  the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board to make a fare scheme that is fair to public utility vehicle (PUV) providers and commuters to address the imposition of physical distancing among all PUVs to lessen spread of the dreaded Corona Virus Disease (COVID) 2019 in the city.

            The resolution authored by all members of the city council stated the LTFRB needs to work towards the adoption of a fare scheme beneficial to both the PUV providers and the commuters during this period of the extended Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and beyond, striking a balance between the approved minimum fare in Baguio and Benguet and the implementation of the physical distancing plus the income to be derived by the PUV providers in servicing the need of the commuters.

            The resolution said if the normal minimum fare will be drastically increased, it will burden the commuters, especially that the current fare being collected by the PUV providers servicing the transportation requirements of authorized people outside their residences is more than double compared to the existing minimum fare approved by the LTFRB.

            The resolution said in formulation of guidelines, it is important for the LTFRB to consider that the PUVs operate to provide income for both operators and drivers, thus, if physical distancing will be strictly imposed, the number of passengers would be reduced by half that will also translate to the reduction of the income of the PUVs every trip.

            Under the extended Luzonwide ECQ, physical distancing is being required public places, including mass transport that is operating on a minimum basis following the suspension of the same right at the start of the ECQ.

            Physical distancing requires the maintenance of t least 1 meter distance from one person to another as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and that it is now the new normal in all public places and transactions, including the transportation sector.

            At present, all PUVs plying the city are operating within the bounds of their franchises that prescribe the charging of the minimum fare and maximum capacity of each PUV.

            Earlier, barangay officials, PUV operators and drivers, and commuters agreed to increase the approved P9 minimum fare for the first 4 kilometers of travel to P20 to allow the PUVs to be able to earn their projected income for every trip even with the implementation of the physical distancing among passengers that reduces the number of passengers by half for every trip.

            The Cordillera office of the Land Transportation Office (LTO-CAR) clarified it respects the consensus reached among barangay officials, PUV operators and drivers, and the commuters on the one-way fare for travels in franchise areas, provided that, the term to be used will not be fare so as not to be construed as an increase in the approved prevailing minimum fare pursuant to existing rules and regulations, but donation. -- Dexter A. See