Piston nixes fare hike, wants e-VAT, oil deregulation law junked

MANILA, Philippines - A militant transport group is dissatisfied with the government’s provisional increase in jeepney and bus fares. Piston or the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide said it was not asking the government for a fare increase, but for the suspension of the 12-percent expanded Value Added Tax (e-VAT) imposed on oil products, and the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law. George San Mateo, Piston secretary general, said fare increase would not solve the problem of the public transport sector because the increase would also affect the sector that is part of the poor majority suffering from the spike in the prices of fuel and basic commodities. On Sunday, May 18, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) approved a petition by transport groups seeking fare increase. LTFRB Chairman Thompson Lantion signed a directive on the "provisional" increase of fares in the National Capital Region, Region 3 (Central Luzon) and Region 4 (Calabarzon and Mimaropa), which will be effective on May 21. Minimum fares in public utility jeepneys will be increased to P8.00 from P7.50, while fares in ordinary buses will be raised to P9.00 from P8.00. Minimum fares in air conditioned buses will likewise be adjusted to P11.50 from P10.00. But according to San Mateo, if the government is sincere in its effort to address the spike in the prices of petroleum products, it would instead lift the 12 percent e-VAT on fuel. He said this would reduce prices of diesel to P5.22 per liter, roll back the prices of gasoline to P6.36 per liter, and lessen by P75 the prices of 11-kilogram cylinder of liquefied petroleum gas. “Tuloy ang ating laban! Hindi natapos sa welga at protesta noong Mayo 12 ang laban ng mga tsuper at mamamamayan at lalong hindi natatapos ang laban ng drivers at mamamayan dahil sa 50 cents na provisional fare hike. (Our fight continues. This won’t end with our protest-rally and strike last May 12. The struggle of drivers and the people won’t end with the 50-centavo provisional fare increase)," said San Mateo. - GMANews.TV