MANILA (UPDATE) — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board nixed Thursday a possible increase of minimum jeepney fare to P17, saying the increase would be too high.

LTFRB technical division chief Joel Bolano said transport group Piston filed the petition for P17 jeepney minimum fare in 2023, the same year that the minimum fare was increased to P13. 

He noted the petition came after diesel prices went as high as P70/liter.

“P17 fare hike petition ang huling hiling nila (Piston) (2023).I-evaluate talaga ng board ‘yun, mataas yun. Binabalanse natin lalo na dahil ang pagtaas ng pamasahe, maraming affected dyan…may epekto sa inflation rate,” he said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.

LTFRB Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz II earlier said the agency is already reviewing a petition by various transport groups to increase the minimum fare for public utility jeeps to P15.

“The LTFRB is reviewing the petition thoroughly and will consider all relevant factors, including fuel price trends, inflation rates, and the overall economic impact on the riding public,” he said in a statement.

He added the agency will conduct public hearings and consultations to ensure transparency before a decision is made.

Pasang Masda President Roberto Ka Obet Martin said their group can accept a P1 hike making the current fare P14 for traditional jeepneys and P16 for modern jeepneys, if diesel prices go down as much as they went up in recent weeks.

Martin said his group will meet with LTFRB officials tomorrow to talk about their old petition which was just revived after the hefty price increase in diesel last Tuesday.

Some transport groups have also called for the removal of the excise tax and value added tax on fuel products.