• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The pump prices of petroleum products will decrease, effective tomorrow, even as public utility vehicle (PUV) fares will increase starting today, Sept. 28.
Oil companies announced over the weekend that the per-liter price of diesel could decrease by P7 to P8, gasoline by less than P1, and kerosene by P5 to P5.70. The exact adjustments will be known today.
This will be the first time that fuel prices will roll back, following three successive weeks of increases due to continuing tensions in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the minimum fare for traditional jeepneys will increase by P1, or from P13 to P14 for the first four kilometers, and an additional P2 for every succeeding kilometer, effective today.
Modern jeepneys, meanwhile, will have a P2 increase in its base fare, or from P15 to P17, with an additional P2.40 for every succeeding kilometer, per the fare adjustment announced by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The bus fare for the first five kilometers is P12, and an additional P2.20 per kilometer for ordinary bus, P2.45 for airconditioned bus, P2.60 for deluxe bus, P2.70 for super deluxe bus, and P3.35 for luxury bus.
For traditional UV Express, the provisional increase is P2.60 each kilometer, and P3/kilometer for modern UV Express.
The provisional adjustment in the taxi flag-down rate is P65 for regular taxi, the DOTr added.
For the transport network vehicle service (TNVS), the base fare is P65 for sedan, P75 for AUV/SUB, P55 for hatchback, and P165 for premium, with pick-up fare of P15 each kilometer.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said that PUVs with approved fare adjustments must post their corresponding updated fare matrices in their respective units before charging passengers with the new rates. The complete fare matrices may be downloaded from the LTFRB website.
PUVs must also continue to give the mandatory 20 percent fare discounts to students, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, Lopez said in a statement. | CGC
