P30 flag-down for city cabs sought

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY -- Despite rollback in the prices of oil, taxicab operators and drivers in this mountain resort city are demanding a P30 flag-down rate to be at par with their counterparts in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

The new flag-down rate being demanded for taxicabs operating in the city and its environs is P5 higher than the prevailing P25 rate.

Perfecto Itliong Jr., regional coordinator of the Public Transport Affairs Office in the Cordillera, said taxicab operators and drivers defended the increase by saying it is unfair for them to be charging rates less compared to those charged by their counterparts in Manila.

Except for the P10 add-on authorized by the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board several years ago, taxicab operators and drivers in the city have not been granted substantial increase in fare rates that would have provided them a decent income for their families.

Itliong said the petition for a P30 flag-down rate for taxicabs in the city will be filed with the LTFRB in the next few days so that the taxicab fare in Manila and Baguio City will be at par with each other even if there is a big difference in the prices of oil products and spare parts of vehicles.

Oil prices in Manila are lower by as much as P5 liter compared to the prices in this city, while spare parts are cheaper in Manila than in Baguio.

Aside from the big difference in the prices of oil and spare parts, Itliong said, driving in mountainous terrain such as that of this city entails consumption of more fuel compared to driving in flat areas like Metro Manila.