ILOILO CITY -- Jeepney drivers in Iloilo City are proposing to increase the minimum fare by P2.50 to ease the impact of rising fuel prices and the protocols against COVID-19.
The Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICLAJODA) submitted a petition to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-6).
From the current minimum jeepney fare of P9, ICLAJODA is aiming for a minimum fare of P11.50 for the first four kilometers and an additional P1.50 for every succeeding kilometer.
In its petition, ICLAJODA President Raymundo Parcon noted that the Feb. 15 fuel hike has negatively affected drivers.
With an average P55 to P56 per liter cost of diesel fuel, jeepney drivers have to spend anywhere from P1,000 to P1,200 per day for fuel. In comparison, they only spent P700 to P800 per day for fuel prior to Feb. 15.
This is also exacerbated by the fact that jeepneys are not yet at 100 percent capacity as physical distancing is still being observed in public transportation.