LTFRB: No automatic fare increase amid new oil price hike

In the wake of a new round of oil price hikes, transportation officials reassured commuters Wednesday that there will be no automatic increase in fares. In a radio interview, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Alberto Suansing said that while he expects some groups to seek a fare hike, such petitions will be thoroughly studied. "We will wait for the petitions... But as usual, such petitions will go through hearings to see if they are justified," Suansing told radio dwIZ in Filipino. For its part, a militant transport group said it is planning protest actions in March to protest the fuel price hikes. The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) said a transport strike will only be the last option, if all other means are exhausted. "Itong panibagong pagtaas nakakainis ito, talagang di makatarungan. Magro-rollback ng 25 sentimo, pero magtataas ng P1 (These price hikes are getting irritating and are unjustified. They roll back prices by 25 centavos per liter, then raise prices by P1 per liter)," Piston secretary general George San Mateo said in a separate interview on dzXL radio. On Tuesday, a number of oil firms raised prices of their gasoline, diesel and kerosene products by P1 per liter. MRT-LRT loop Meanwhile, Suansing said commuters should get some relief with the loop of the Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit, once it is opened to the public. He said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is scheduled to take a “presidential ride" to the MRT-LRT loop on Thursday. "Susubukan ng ating pangulo ang pagtakbo ng tren mula Santolan hanggang TriNoMa, tapos lilipat kami sa LRT papuntang Monumento (The president will ride the train from Santolan in Quezon City to TriNoMa, then transfer to the LRT and head for Monumento in Caloocan City)," he said. - RSJ, GMANews.TV