LTFRB: No automatic fare hike after 'big' fuel price hikes

There will be no automatic fare hike after fuel firms raised on Tuesday prices of their products by as much as P2 per liter, a transportation official assured Wednesday. Transport groups cannot just decide to adjust fares without going through “normal processes," said Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Alberto Suansing. “Malaking pagtaas ang nangyari, P2 yata, (but) that will only reactivate discussions on fare hike petition - not an automatic increase in fares (The P2/liter hike was a big adjustment that can only activate discussions on a fare hike petition – not a fare increase)," Suansing said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said that there is no petition for a fare hike stemming from this week’s fuel price increases. However, he said there are pending petitions from Pasang Masda and the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO) to restore a 50-centavo added fare that was removed last February. “Titingnan pa natin yan (We are still considering it)," he said, but did not say whether the LTFRB has scheduled hearings on the fare hike petitions. When asked about the chances of the LTFRB allowing a fare hike following this week’s fuel price hikes, he said, “Malayo pa ang posibilidad na ganyan. Pag-uusapan pa yan (We have a long way to go, it would entail a series of discussions)," he said. At present, the minimum jeepney fare is P7. Fuel price control Meanwhile, the militant Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) vowed Wednesday not submit a petition for a fare hike, but pushed anew for price controls on fuel. “Sinisikap naming rendahan. Sa ngayon wala kaming balak magpetisyon ng dagdag pasahe. Di kami kasama sa nagpepetisyon sa mga humihingi ng dagdag pasahe (We try to hold back. For now we have no plan to petition for a fare hike. We are not among the groups seeking a fare hike)," Piston secretary general George San Mateo said in an interview on dzXL radio. But he said Malacañang should take concrete action and impose price ceilings on fuel products. On Tuesday, oil companies in the Philippines increased product prices, citing the continued rise of global fuel costs. Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Petron Corp. – two of the Philippines’ three biggest fuel companies –announced increases in premium and regular gasoline, diesel fuel, and kerosene prices. Shell and Petron increased diesel costs by P2 per liter and kerosene by P1.50 per liter. Chevron Philippines, which runs Caltex stations, also increased fuel pump prices at just about the same levels but implemented the increase at noon of October 20. - GMANews.TV