MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is reviewing a petition filed by transport groups to charge a "rush hour rate," taking into account the fourth straight week of oil price hikes.

Under the proposal, P1 will be added to the jeepney base fare and P2 to the city bus fare during peak hours of 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. except Sundays and holidays.

Jeepney drivers are feeling the brunt of soaring pump prices, particularly now that the school year is starting.

This "rush hour rate" petition was filed before the regulatory body on October 2022.

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Transport leaders deemed it necessary to refile the 14-page appeal despite a recent approval of a fare hike last September 2022.

The petition stated that "surge pricing" must not be limited to TNVS but also to other modes of PUV service facing similar difficulties of slower revenue collection.

“[H]indi natin ma-expect baka next week tumaas na ito (losses). Ito ay diktado ng world market na nagcut sila at tayong maliliit na bansa ang kauna-unahang tatamaan,” one of the petitioners, Pasang Masda president Obet Martin, said.

Even the regulatory body finds the oil price increases excessive.

“So we find this irregular and highly unusual increase. On instances like this, talagang mahihirapan 'yung mga kapatid natin sa industriya. We have to address that issue by considering their proposal for a fare increase only on certain times of the day. Two, we are also looking at the possibility of a fuel subsidy which is a long-standing program of the government na bigyan lahat ng tsuper ng mga jeepneys and buses for the time being na mataas ang presyo ng gasolina,” LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III said.

Aside from the rush hour rate, LTFRB is also considering distributing financial aid to affected transport operators.

"It could be a combination of both. In the event na kulang ang fuel subsidy, we may resort to granting the request but not probably as high as one peso, depende po. Now, if the fuel subsidy is not available yet, then we may grant the request for a one peso increase, but this is subject to a study that we are doing right now," Guadiz added.

The LTFRB will submit its recommendation to the Department of Transportation this week and if all goes well, a decision will be made in two weeks.

However, commuter group The Passenger Forum warned the regulatory body that "rush hour rate" guidelines must be clear to avoid confusion or conflict between drivers and passengers.

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“Naiintidihan namin ang mga tsuper pero ang mga commuter po ay hindi very welcoming dito kasi naiisip namin baka magkalituhan. Baka pwede maging dahilan pa ito ng conflict between commuter at tsuper dahil 'yung oras, anong oras sumakay, anong oras nagbayad. Mga ganoong bagay so kung magtataas [ng pasahe], sana ay hindi na mangyari at para hindi na mahirapan ang mga tsuper at operator na masolusyonan 'yung patuloy na pagtaas sa presyo ng langis,” The Passenger Forum Convener Primo Morillo said.

LTFRB said they have yet to meet with other stakeholders, including commuter groups, to discuss measures to alleviate transport groups' problems.