LTFRB adjusts taxi fares, makes P40 flag-down rate permanent

The LTFRB on Wednesday made final the P40 flag-down rate and adjusted the succeeding rates for the travel and waiting times.

After several transport groups filed petitions over the course of one year, LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra III signed the resolution granting higher rates for taxi operators.

According to a copy of the decision posted by GMA-7's Allan Gatus, taxi services operating in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the provinces, including Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), are authorized to  charge P13.50 per kilometer of distance traveled with P2 per minute of travel time from origin to destination.

Flagdown rate ng taxi balik 40 pesos na matapos na aprobaban ng LTFRB ang kanilang petisyon @dzbb pic.twitter.com/A7wn1ZEq5u

— Allan Gatus (@allangatus) October 4, 2017

The provisional flag-down rate of P40 was retained and made permanent, and the succeeding rates of P3.50 for each 300 meters and P3.50 for every two-minute waiting time were adjusted.

With the adjusted fare rates, LTFRB spokesperson Aileen Lizada told reporters in a text message the new formula applicable for a 10-kilometer and 45-minute ride will be:

P40 flag-down + P13.50 x 10 kilometers + P2 x 45 minutes = P265

The petition stemmed from a P10 rollback in 2015 that reduced the taxi nationwide flag-down rate to P30.

The petition, originally filed by the Philippine National Taxi Operators Association (PNTOA), later joined by Association of Taxi Operators of Panay, Inc. and Tata Trans Corp., was backed by an urgent motion for reconsideration with prayer to suspend implementation of consolidated decision from the Association of United Taxi Operators in in the CAR (AUTOCAR)on March 8, 2016.

The Dumper Philippines Taxi Drivers Association filed a separate motion for reconsideration on March 28, 2016.

On Wednesday, the motions were considered "moot and academic" by the LTFRB, who accordingly moved for the fare increase to be applied.

All taxi operators with phase- out model units and those to file for the substitution of their units were also reminded in the decision to comply with the PUV Modernization Program and the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines issued by the board.

The Court of Appeals recently invalidated LTFRB's decision to lower the flag-down rate to P30 on the ground of technicality filed by the Taxi Drivers of the Philippines, Inc. and Alliance of National Urban Poor Organizations Assembly, Inc (ANUPA).

The said decision on adjusted fare rates will be effective after publication in a newspaper of general circulation unless modified, revised, or cancelled by the LTFRB.

Lizada said the transport regulator is targeting to publish the decision on Thursday.

Taxis operators need to recalibrate their meters and individually apply to increase their fare rates and pay the LTFRB a fare adjustment fee of P510 plus P10 legal research fee. — Margaret Claire Layug and Ted Cordero/NB/BM/VDS, GMA News