The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has reopened the discussion on the petition for fare increase amid the series of oil price hikes in the past weeks.

Not only the price of gasoline and diesel, LTFRB chairman Vigor D. Mendoza II said prices of car parts and the maintenance costs also jacked up in the past few years, which made the concerns raised by the transport groups valid.

The last time that a fare hike was approved was in October 2023 and it was a P1 provisional increase— a decision which is seen as a middle ground since the country is still reeling from the adverse economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since then, a number of fare hike petitions were filed before the LTFRB, the recent petitions were filed by three major transport groups in October 2024.

“We will be holding two hearings next week to discuss all the issues surrounding the petitions for fare increase. And we will be holding weekly hearings in relation to the matter after that,” said Mendoza.

While the LTFRB has been looking for ways to prevent fare hike as this will have an effect on the inflation rate in the country, Mendoza said the series of oil price hikes in the past weeks opened the door anew for the discussion on the petitions.

“Drivers and operators are really at a disadvantage in the prevailing fare matrix. The arguments they raised in the petition are valid and really represent the realities on the ground for those in the transport sector,” he said.

The summary of the petitions is that the P1 provisional increase granted in 2023 becomes permanent and additional P2 in minimum fare—or from the current P13 for traditional jeepneys to P15 and from P15 to P17 for modern jeepneys.

The same petitions seek additional charge for every succeeding kilometer after the four-kilometer charge covered by the minimum fare.

"We understand that any increase in fares affects the daily lives of commuters who rely on jeepneys for affordable transportation but we must also ensure that our drivers and operators can not only sustain safe and reliable services amid rising costs, but are also able to provide for the needs of their families,” said Mendoza.

“Rising costs affect us all, but the government needs to make sure that all sectors of society are able to cope with them,” he added.

Mendoza said they will invite as many experts to provide more insights on the fare hike petition, particularly on the aspect of the effect on the economy.

He said consultations will also be made with concerned government agencies, particularly the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) to come up with a win-win solution for both the commuters and the transport sector.