PUJ hikes fare by P0.50; motorela asks for P1.00

June 2, 2008

additional P.50 fare increase By Lizanilla J. Amarga

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-10) confirmed yesterday that indeed the minimum passenger utility jeepney (PUJ) fare is now P7.00 per passenger.

This came as the City Council of Cagayan de Oro is set to tackle today the petition to increase the minimum motorela fare by P1.00 before classes start this June 10, 2008.

In an interview, LTFRB-10 regional director Mandangan Darimbang said they have been giving out the new fare matrices for the additional P0.50 to the minimum fare as early as last week.

He clarified that the existing current minimum PUJ fare rate is P6.50 despite thus, the new fare rate would now be P7.00 each ride.

“Basta P.50 ang dungag na sa tanan PUJ nga pletehan. Kung sa una gabayad lang ka ug P9.50 karon P10.00 or kung P20.00 karon P20.50 na imong bayaran,” he said.

He added that the implementation of this additional P0.50 PUJ fare hike is not just for the entire Northern Mindanao region but for the entire country as approved last May 21, 2008.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Motorela Operators and Drivers in Cagayan de Oro (Femodco), an umbrella organization for all motorela operators and drivers associations, has submitted their petition that their minimum fare must now be at least P6.00 per passenger.

The additional P1.00 per passenger actually includes the request for a full implementation of the P5.50 fare rate order that was approved last January 2006 and a P0.50 increase for this year 2008.

The request also comprises of raising the privilege fares by P1.00 or as follows: from the P4.00 for senior citizens and college students to P5.00 and from P2.00 for elementary pupils to P3.00.

City Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya, the chairman of the committee on public utility, already met with Sempron and his motorela drivers and operators group during their committee meeting last Wednesday.

He vowed to look into their petition and gather the consensus of his other colleagues at the City Council as soon as possible.

And should majority of the City Council approve the hike, he said the ordinance for this motorela fare hike will then be sent to City Mayor Constantino Jaraula who will then have 10 days to veto or approve the matter.

Femodco president Paul Sempron said this increase is long overdue and that they hope their petition would be approved the soonest time possible preferably before the start of classes.

He said there are some 2,222 motorela drivers and some 2,000 operators more who have been struggling to make a living with the current P5.00 per passenger and the rising prices of all basic commodities.

Sempron explained that motorela driver who really goes out to the streets for some 8-10 hours may earn around P350.00 to P400.00 a day.

However, he said the following deductions have to be made out of this P350.00-P400.00/day earning: P150.00 for rental cost and P200.00 for fuel cost considering that such number of hours of plying the city streets will amount to some six liters of gasoline at around P45.00 per liter.

“So, pila nalang gyud ang mahibilin para sa atong mga drivers? Mao kung sili pa halang na kaayo,” he said over dxIF Bombo Radyo yesterday.

And for motorela operators, he added that they have to contend with the rising costs of spare parts and that even motorela tires now costs some P600.00 each and other expenses such as getting their units duly registered with City Hall among others.

Cogon-Consolacion Motorela Operators and Drivers Association president Victor Deloy said a number of motorela drivers also have to deal with the temporary suspension on the adjudication of traffic violations at the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA).

He said he himself has already paid the fees being imposed by City Hall even including those collected for the “renumbering” of their units just to get back to the city roads immediately.

Because of all these circumstances, he said motorela drivers and operators are having a hard time getting their children to enroll this school year.

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