• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Bacolod Alliance of Commuters, Operators and Drivers (Bacod-Manibela) said Aug. 5 that it will not join national calls for a public transport fare increase despite the continuous spike in fuel prices.
Bacod-Manibela president Rudy Cathedral said that instead of higher fare, they are pushing for direct relief from the national government, including fuel subsidies and station discounts.
Cathedral explained that raising fares by P2 to P5, from the minimum PUJ fare of P13, would be a heavy burden on local commuters, whose wages remain stagnant.
“We see the hardship in the province where our wages are not increasing. If the fare goes up, it becomes a major problem that creates a big domino effect for us because while wages stay the same, fares rise; so commuters will demand a wage increase, and if wages are raised, businessmen will demand to reduce their workforce,” he said.
After initial discussions with Manibela’s national leadership, the group decided to spare Bacolod commuters from added expenses while continuing to advocate for government intervention.
Cathedral also noted the severe impact of recent gas price hikes on drivers nationwide, adding the P11 per liter price increase was offset by a meager 60-centavo reduction that took effect this week. | TMD
