Transport group MANIBELA said it may push for a P2 provisional fare increase for public utility vehicles (PUVs) amid continued rise in fuel prices due to the conflict in the Middle East.

In an interview, MANIBELA chairperson Mar Valbuena clarify that fare increase was their last resort, aside from the P5000 assistance, they push for the suspension of excise tax and value added tax on petroleum products.

What will happen next week is that fuel prices will be raised by P15 again. So maybe it’s time for us to join the call for an increase, even if it’s just a provisional or temporary increase of P1 or P2, he added.

Valbuena said many drivers have been losing P400 to P500 in daily income due to the recent fuel price hikes. Pump prices have increased by around P25 to P30 per liter in recent weeks, according to him.

Public transport drivers have been forced to adopt alternate driving schedules to avoid competing for passengers, especially during off-peak hours when ridership is low.

This, as MANIBELA said that the government’s P5,000 fuel subsidy is “not enough.”

For the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Valbuena said that many drivers are struggling to qualify due to numerous requirements set by local government units (LGUs).

He also raised concern over the use of an outdated beneficiary list for the cash assistance program, which was used during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

“Deadline kahapon yung pagsa-submit. Dapat po ma-extend po ito,” Valbuena said.

(The deadline for the submission was yesterday. It should be extended.)

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian noted that the P5,000 cash aid from DSWD is separate from the fuel subsidy from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

He also clarified that the DSWD is asking for a list of tricycle drivers only from local governments. For jeepney drivers, the list of beneficiaries will be lifted from the LTFRB’s records.

“Medyo advanced ‘yan kasi tricycle driver pa lang naman ang hinihingi namin. At alam ko sa LGU, wala na silang hininging dagdag requirements kasi nasa talaan na nila ‘yan,” he said.

(That’s a bit advanced because we’re only asking for tricycle drivers. And I know from the LGU, they didn’t ask for additional requirements because they already have that on their list.)

“Ngayon yung pagdating sa MANIBELA, sa LTFRB namin kukunin yung listahan. Nagpapatulong lang ang LTFRB sa ating mga LGU na siguraduhin na yung driver tama ang pangalan at kung multiple drivers yan, kumpleto,” he added.

(When it comes to MANIBELA, we’ll get the list from the LTFRB. The LTFRB is just asking help from our LGUs to make sure that the driver’s name is correct and if there are multiple drivers, it should be complete.)

Meanwhile, MANIBELA welcomed proposals to suspend excise taxes on fuel, which could lower diesel prices by around P6 per liter and gasoline prices by about P10 per liter.