SUCK IT UP: Palace tells commuters to ‘take the brunt’ of fare hike

Photo: ABS-CBN News.
Photo: ABS-CBN News.

Gotta suck it up, commuters.

That’s pretty much what Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said yesterday after massive public backlash on the approved jeepney fare hike.

“We really have to take the brunt as of the moment,” he said in Filipino and English during a press briefing yesterday, Sun Star reported.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) granted yesterday the petition of transport groups to increase the base fare of jeepneys in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Southern Tagalog to PHP10 (US$.19).

This is a PHP2 (US$.04) increase from the previous price that will be implemented come Nov. 3.

The petition was brought by the increase of gas prices in the past weeks.

Nicknamed the “King of the Road,” many Filipinos rely on jeepneys to get around, which is why most are against the fare hike.

Apart from jeepneys, the LTFRB also approved a fare hike for Metro Manila and provincial buses. The base fare for Metro Manila buses now costs PHP11 (US$.20) instead of PHP10 (US$.19), while for provincial buses it is now PHP13 (US$.24) instead of PHP12 (US$.22), ABS-CBN News reported.

Panelo said that this situation is just temporary. “Hopefully when everything settles down, we’ll go back to how it was before,” he said.

“I think what the economic managers said was right — this is not permanent.”

He also downplayed the increase and said that it is “only PHP10,” CNN Philippines reported.

The fare hike comes while prices for other goods like vegetables and flour have also been increasing so, naturally, many took offense with Panelo’s statement.

“He can say that because he does not experience the struggle,” Twitter user @MarisIsay said.

https://twitter.com/MarisIsay/status/1053117012132552704

“F*ck these people,” @kristinamisajon wrote.

@KSPjnsxtn called the administration “heartless” and “anti-poor.”

https://twitter.com/KSPjnsxtn/status/1053095203031080960

While it may “only” be PHP10 (US$.19), @brilg pointed out how she could have used the additional PHP2 (US$.04) for other necessities.

What do you think about Panelo’s statement? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @CoconutsManila.



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