By Darryl John Esguerra
Malacañang on Monday defended the government-approved increase in public utility vehicle (PUV) fares, saying it seeks to help transport workers cope with rising fuel prices without placing an excessive burden on commuters.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. supports the fare increase, which took effect Monday, while government assistance for drivers and operators remains in place.
Castro said the adjustment was approved amid continued increases in fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict.
“Ngayon po magtaas ng presyo ng pamasahe dahil hindi nga po natitigil ang gulo dito sa Middle East (There is now a need to increase fares because the conflict in the Middle East has not stopped),” Castro said in a Palace briefing.
She said the approved increase was lower than what transport groups had sought and was calibrated to consider the interests of both drivers and commuters.
“Hindi puwedeng ang isang grupo lang ang panalo (One group cannot be the only winner),” Castro said.
The minimum fare for traditional jeepneys increased by PHP1, from PHP13 to PHP14 for the first four kilometers, while fares for modern jeepneys rose by PHP2, from PHP15 to PHP17.
Despite the fare increase, Castro said the government’s fuel subsidy for transport workers remains in place.
“Sa ngayon po wala pong pinapahinto … pati iyong fuel subsidy ay hindi naman po hinihinto (For now, nothing has been stopped … including the fuel subsidy),” she said.
The government is also preparing additional assistance under the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport (UPLIFT) to help cushion the impact of higher global oil prices on vulnerable sectors.
The Palace had earlier described a fare increase as a last resort amid the surge in fuel prices, while urging government agencies to explore other measures to assist transport workers without immediately passing additional costs on to commuters.
