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By Franco Jose C. Baroña
March 17, 2023
THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is preparing to implement a nationwide fare discount scheme for public utility vehicles (PUVs) as proposed by the Department of Transportation (DoTr).
The DoTr in an earlier memorandum to the LTFRB called for lower fares for traditional and modern jeepneys, buses and UV Express.
The proposal includes a P12 to P9 rollback for traditional jeepneys and P14 to P11 for modern jeepneys. A fare cut of P3 to P4 is being considered for buses.
The memo did not mention fare cuts for UV Express.
The LTFRB said that the discounted fare scheme will be implemented after the termination of the Libreng Sakay (free ride) program along Edsa.
"We also have to take the cue from the Office of the (DoTr) Secretary, how they intend to do it. I think the only thing they will do is give the people a discount so that the P1.2 billion budget for the program can be used for many transport services on a nationwide scale," LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz 3rd said.
"I believe the budget may last only for about six months — half a year. So as early as now, I am requesting the DoTr to come up with additional funding so that the budget will last until the end of the year," he added.
The budget for the service contracting program was reduced from P8.4 billion in 2022 to P2.16 billion in 2023.
This year's budget includes P1.285 billion in programmed appropriations and another P875 million lodged under unprogrammed appropriations.
