By Leslie Ann Aquino
The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines ( ALU-TUCP) will not oppose the P1 fare increase for public utility jeepney as this would help improve the take home pay of jeepney drivers.
Jeepneys pass by the elliptical road near the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City to collect passengers Friday. (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN)
“We will not object to the P1 PUJ fare increase at this time because the increase will improve the take home pay of our jeepney drivers and help their families cope with the current incredible inflation," said ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay in a statement.
The workers group, however, said that the fare increase calls for a substantial wage increase for workers in the National Capital Region.
ALU TUCP cited the increase in the prices of goods and services as reasons for this.
“There is now a very urgent need for the Metro Manila wage board to grant a substabtial wage increase for workers in the NCR for them to survive in the light of the extraordinary increases in prices of basic goods and costs of services in the past ten months including this P1 jeepney fare increase,” Tanjusay said.
The Federation of Free Workers echoed the same call.
“Before the fare increase takes effect, the wage board should act soon. A paltry salary increase of 20 pesos in Metro Manila will most likely be eaten up this fare increase. A family of five who rides the jeepney at least once a day to get out of the house for work, school or the market, then ride the jeepney again to go back home, would have already used half of the 20 pesos just for jeepney fares,” FFW vice president Julius Cainglet said.
“Congress can do two things: Remove the additional and burdensome excise tax that the TRAIN Law introduced, and increase the wage of workers by legislation,” he added.
The NCR wage board will meet on Monday, October 22 to begin to determine how much amount is the wage increase for NCR workers.
Read more: LTFRB approves P2 jeepney fare hike, but holds implementation