Piston Hits LTFRB for
Reducing Student Discount
The Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at
Opereytor Nationwide (Piston or United Nationwide Association of Drivers
and Operators) in Metro Baguio hit the Land Transportation Franchising and
Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for reducing the student fare discount in
response to the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association in
the Philippines (Fejodap) fare hike proposal.
BY KIM QUITASOL
NORTHERN DISPATCH
Posted by Bulatlat
BAGUIO CITY - The
Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston or
United Nationwide Association of Drivers and Operators) in Metro Baguio
hit the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for
reducing the student fare discount in response to the Federation of
Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association in the Philippines (Fejodap)
fare hike proposal.
Piston-Metro Baguio
Chair Lito Wayas also called for the junking of the oil deregulation law
in a noise barrage in protest of the latest oil price increases at the
Igorot
Park here on June 6.
The LTFRB in Metro
Baguio recently reduced the student discount, in effect increasing the
transport fare of students from P6 to P7, following a proposal from LTFRB
chair Elena Bautista.
“Drivers and
operators also have families. We have children who go to school. Like
other poor families, we are also affected by increases in prices of basic
goods and services including fare increases. The decrease in student fare
discount would also mean additional expenses for us,” Wayas explained in
Ilocano.
Wayas said the
scrapping of the oil deregulation law is the long-term solution to the
unrelenting oil price hikes.
“Without the said
law, the government will regain its control over the country’s oil
industry, and in a way regulate oil prices,” Wayas said. He said that
although drivers and operators welcome fare hikes, these are just
short-term solutions. “Fare hikes help drivers and operators cope with the
current prices of oil based products and basic commodities for a certain
period. However, this only passes on the buck to commuters.” Northern
Dispatch / Posted by Bulatlat
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