Taxi group eyes P16 per km fare hike proposal

The Philippine National Taxi Operators' Association (PNTOA) is looking to ask for a P16 per kilometer fare hike due to higher excise tax rates on petroleum products under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

In a report on GMA News' "24 Oras" by Jam Sisante on Tuesday, PNTOA president Bong Suntay said the taxi operators group may petition for the said fare hike to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

"Ang magiging epekto niyan is mas lalong kakaunti yung mga taxing bumabyahe. Tapos nu'n maaring tumaas yung mga insidente ng driver na nangongontrata o ayaw magsakay o namimili ng pasahero... Hindi namin tinotolerate yung maling ginagawa ng driver but we have to become realistic," Suntay said.

Under the recently approved tax reform law or Republic Act NO. 10963, diesel gets an excise tax of P2.50 per liter from zero while the the excise tax on gasoline rises to P7 from P4.35.

By 2020, the excise tax rates on diesel will go up to P6 per liter and on gasoline to P10.

The DOE clarified earlier that the new excise tax rates will not affect prices of old inventory, considering that excise taxes are levied upon importation and not at the point of sale to consumers.

The new excise tax scheme will affect only those imported petroleum products from January 1, 2018 onwards.

Oil companies' stock usually last up to two weeks.

Transport group Pasang Masda also plans to file before the LTFRB to raise the minimum jeepney fare to P12 in light of the higher excise tax for fuel products resulting from the TRAIN law.

"Ang jeepney driver kasi ang magbabayad ng boundary sa operator, sila rin ang magbabayad sa diesel, yung comsumption for the whole day of operations bago pa sila kikita. At the end of the day ang mahihirapan dito mga mahihirap nating mananakay, sila ang tatamaan at ito'y magkakaron ng domino effect pati sa mga pangunahing bilihin," Martin said. —Ted Cordero/JST, GMA News