THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Northern Mindanao warned bus companies against overcharging fares and refusing passengers this holiday season.
The warning came after several passengers onboard a Bachelor Express bus travelling from Cagayan de Oro to Butuan City complained of the sudden increase in fare Thursday, December 29.
Manny Libate, a regular passenger in the said bus company, said the fare rose from P375 to P400, Thursday night.
"They said the fare is already at P400 since the bus will go straight to Butuan without stopping in other areas. This is the first time since I have been travelling this area that I encountered such expensive fare," he said.
Libate said he is perplexed why the fare increased when rates would have been cheaper because it is the holiday season.
Bachelor Express is the only bus company plying the Cagayan de Oro-Butuan route.
"Gasalig pud ning Bachelor kay sila lang man ang gabyahe ana na rota. Pero ang amo lang, monitoron dapat ni ug tarong sa LTFRB," (Bachelor Express is taking advantage since it is the only bus company travelling in the said route. What we want is the LTFRB to monitor this) he said.
But LTFRB-Northern Mindanao Director Aminoden Guro said since the start of the holiday season, their office has not issued an order or received any notice requesting for an increase in bus fares.
Instead, bus companies are supposed to impose undercharges because of "fare wars," he said.
"Dapat gane magka-mubo kay adunay fare wars, kung asa magpamuboay ug plete to attract passengers," (Ideally, rates will go down because of the fare wars, where they will compete for lower rates to attract passengers) Guro said.
The transport official instead advised passengers to ask a tariff from the bus inspector as basis for the sudden fare increase.
He said the tariff will guide the passengers as to the fare ranges in every route.
"We should not hesitate to ask for the tariff because you have the right to ask as a passenger," Guro said.
Aileen Balite, who was supposed to travel from Cagayan de Oro to Balingasag, a 20-minute ride, had no choice but to get off the Bachelor Express bus liner after they were informed that the same bus will travel non-stop.
Balite, along with her 65-year-old grandmother had to wait for another bus, and hoped that it will not suddenly declare that it will travel nonstop.
But Guro pointed out that asking a passenger to get off the bus is a major violation under the LTFRB rules and regulations.
"Dako nga violation ang pakanaogon ang usa ka pasahero gikan sa bus, dili kini pwede," he said.
Guro said should a passenger encounter this situation, he must get the plate number of the bus and report it, through call and text, to the LTFRB hotline number which can be found printed inside and outside the bus.
"I urge passengers to report this kind of incident and we will take appropriate actions and demand answers from them," he said.
Bus companies who continue to refuse and overcharge fare will be subject to sanctions, such as cancellation and suspension of their Certificates of Public Convenience.
