A bus operator on Tueday clarified that they did not raise fare prices, rather they were charging regular-priced fares during the Holy Week-peak season and that fare prices during the off-peak seasons were discounted.
“Kapag peak season, ang pamasahe talaga nasa taripa. Ibig sabihin ‘yung taripa na sinusundan nila,” explained bus operator Juliet de Jesus said in “24 Oras” report. “Ngayon, tumataas lang ‘yung taripa na ganyan depende doon sa bus mo.”
However, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board reminded bus operators that they must comply with the fare tariffs.
“‘Pag in-allow po namin na mag-adjust po sila on their own, first, unfair competition po iyan. Pangalawa po diyan, mawawala na po ‘yung regulation ng LTFRB. At ang mangyayari po diyan, magkakanya-kanya po tayo,” said LTFRB executive director Atty. Bobbit Cabrera.
Meanwhile, the LTFRB said that there were enough buses to service travelers heading for the provinces during the Holy Week. Some 300 units have already been given special permits to operate from March 29 to April 16, with another 500 bus units to be given permits.
The North Luzon Expressway was expecting 200,000 motorists to use the highway per day from April 1 (Holy Wednesday) to 2 (Maundy Thursday). The usual volume of daily motorists was about 180,000.
To manage the increased volume, the NLEX said all vehicles going to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway from April 1 to 7 will have to pay the toll at the Mabalacat Toll Gate, instead of the Dau Toll Plaza.
The authorities will also add 30 toll booths in the area.
