NEDA approves fare hike (again…)

From the provisionary increase in fare of 50 centavos last May 2008, again the National Economic Development Authority approved another fare increase for public transportation just this week.

It was said that it is due to the continuous oil price hike. While I was heading my way home, I heard the jeepney driver and his wife (I think) converse and it goes this way:

Driver: Umabot na ng singkwenta mahigit yung krudo…
(The oil price is now more than 50 pesos…)
Wife: Parang kada-dalawang araw ata tumtaas yung krudo ahh… Diba nung isang araw nagtaas na, magtataas nanaman yan sa sunod na araw…
(I think, it increases every 2 days, 1 day ago it increases and I think, it will increase again in the following days…)
Driver: Ang sabi nila, sa sunod na linggo pa daw ang taas ng krudo…
(They said, the oil price will increase next week…)

I was shocked that the oil price got for about 54 pesos and with this fact, I now understand the need for increasing the fare for public transportation.

• jeepneys nationwide would now be charging P8.50 from P8.00 for the first four kilometers plus P0.25 for the succeeding kilometers; jeepneys were initially granted in May a provisional increase of P0.50 so another P0.50 would be implemented. As to the P0.25 for the succeeding kilometers, jeepneys would now be charging an additional P1.50 from P1.25.
• ordinary buses in Metro Manila would be charging from P9 to P10 for the first five kilometers plus an additional P0.20 for the succeeding kilometers; and airconditioned buses also in Metro Manila, 20 percent of that being charged by ordinary buses. Reports said this would be from P11.50 to P12.50. As to the P0.20 for the succeeding kilometers, buses would now be charging an additional P1.95 from the previous P1.75.
• an additional P10 would be added to the fare of taxis nationwide, which won’t be part of the flag down rate.

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While I was riding a bus a while ago, I saw from the news that jeepneys with only 4 kilometers route can now charge 8.50 pesos as a minimum fare even if they don’t have their new tariff.

The fare hike didn’t affect me because I was paying 10 pesos still during the provisionary fare hike and before this fare hike. Please refer to my previous post.