Transport group PISTON has filed a petition with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) seeking a ₱10 increase in the minimum jeepney fare, citing continued pressure from fuel and operating costs. If approved, the proposed adjustment would raise the minimum fare for traditional jeepneys from ₱13 to ₱23.
Photo: Hitoshi Namura/Unsplash
The petition comes even after oil companies implemented price rollbacks this week, with diesel prices reduced by about ₱2.40 to ₱2.60 per liter and gasoline by around ₱2.50 to ₱3.50 per liter.
PISTON National President Mody Floranda said the reductions are not enough to offset daily operating expenses.
“Yes, there are rollbacks. But diesel prices are still more than ₱100,” Floranda said, referring to accumulated costs. “If we consume 30 liters per day, at least ₱3,000 is lost in the drivers’ income.”
He added that many jeepney drivers have been earning around ₱200 to ₱300 daily since fuel prices rose, despite working 12 to 18 hours.
“The objective of this is to ease the large income losses of the drivers,” he said, adding that the group is also calling for an increase in the minimum wage.
For commuter advocacy group PARA Commuters’ Network, a fare adjustment could have broader effects on transport availability. The group noted that some public utility vehicle drivers have reduced trips or stopped operating due to fuel costs.
“We know that our drivers should not be blamed because it is their right to have livable wages. It is also their right to provide for their families,” said Reign Desaca, community affairs officer of PARA.
Desaca also raised policy options such as suspending oil-related taxes and increasing the minimum wage as possible responses to concerns in the transport sector.
Alongside the fare petition, Piston announced a nationwide transport strike, saying it will push for the removal of fuel taxes, repeal of the oil deregulation law, and a rollback of pump prices to ₱55 per liter.
The group said the protest action is part of ongoing calls for both immediate relief measures and longer-term policy changes in the transport sector.
PISTON also cited concerns over delays in government assistance for transport workers, including reports of long queues for cash aid in Quezon City. The group referenced the death of a motorcycle rider in one such queue, calling attention to gaps in aid distribution systems.
The No to Oil Price Hike Coalition also held a gathering at Quezon Memorial Circle, where participants lit candles in memory of the rider and called for improvements in public service and assistance delivery.
“The tragic incident reflects the daily struggles of many Filipinos who are forced to spend long hours in line, lose work opportunities, and endure unsafe conditions just to access much-needed assistance,” the coalition said in a statement.
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