LTFRB: Minimum fare in Pangasinan still P8
THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has not approved any fare increase Pangasinan or in any province in the region and the minimum fare in the region is still P8.
The agency made the clarification amid numerous complaints from commuters in Pangasinan that public utility jeepneys and buses have been charging high fares than usual.
In its post on Facebook on December 16, LTFRB Region 1 called on commuters to file complaints with its office citing the plate number of the jeepneys and buses and date when they overcharged so action can be taken against their operators.
Among the complaints are jeepneys commuting passengers 1) Dagupan – Manaoag are charging P50 per person one way, instead of P25 during the pre-pandemic period; 2) Dagupan-Sta. Barbara charging P40, instead of P20; 3) Within Dagupan City, P10 instead of P8.
Meanwhile, buses commuting passengers from Lingayen to Dagupan are charging P30, instead of the usual P15.
The jeepneys and buses issued with special permits to operate during the pandemic by LTFRB agreed to terms imposed: to accommodate only 50 percent of their usual capacity, and to enforce health and safety protocols, with no right to fare increase.
LTFRB said public utility jeepneys and buses are still required to post the fare matrix inside their units and cannot charge more than what is posted but the complaints include missing fare matrixes inside the units preventing commuters from knowing the approved fares.
It clarified that the notice that LTFRB earlier posted in social media was solely for the purpose of informing the public of the petition of PUJs and PUBs seeking to increase the minimum fare and is still for public hearing.
LFTRB said the operators may have misinterpreted the post to mean that since the petition was filed, the approval was presumed.
It said the petition for fare increase will still undergo thorough study to determine if there is basis for granting it. (Leonardo Micua)
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