In Cagayan de Oro, local fares synced with pump prices
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— Seeking to provide relief to the local public transport sector battered by soaring fuel costs, this city has rolled out an updated, tiered fare matrix for “motorela” (motorcycle-driven passenger cabs) that dynamically adjusts based on prevailing pump prices.
Endorsed by City Mayor Rolando Uy, the city council approved the amendment to City Ordinance No. 13431-2018 on Monday. It took effect on Tuesday.
The new fare scheme, which applies across all motorela routes in the city, is designed to ensure that both commuters and drivers are fairly considered.
Under the newly approved system, regular fares will fluctuate alongside fuel prices. When fuel prices range between P65.01 and P75 per liter, the regular fare is set at P10.
This increases to P12 if pump prices reach the P75.01 to P85 bracket, and rises to P13 for the P85.01 to P95 range. Should local fuel prices surge further to between P95.01 and P105, the fare is capped at P14. Fares will also decrease if fuel prices go down.
A 20-percent discount will continue to apply for senior citizens, students, and persons with disabilities in accordance with national law.
“This will be a huge help to our daily earnings,” motorela driver Lourderico Pedimonte told the Inquirer.
Balance
Uy noted that the adjusted system is meant to strike a delicate balance: protecting commuters while ensuring public utility drivers do not operate at a loss amid the volatile economic climate.
“With the steady increase in oil prices, this updated fare matrix ensures our motorela drivers can still sustain their livelihood while maintaining a regulated and fair fare system for the riding public,” the mayor said.
The ubiquitous motorela operate alongside jeepneys to ferry passengers in the city, although they mainly serve inner communities.
As of the latest fuel monitoring in the city, gasoline prices have climbed well into the P90 to over P100 per liter range, mirroring the nationwide surge in petroleum products.
But beyond prices, Irene Floro, chair of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said they are also concerned about “inventory status and whether supply can keep up” with demand.
“Gasoline station operators themselves are struggling to maintain inventory,” she added.
Appeal
Floro appealed to the public for patience, noting that local oil dealers are also constrained by supply chain issues and corporate pricing pressures.
Like the transport sector, fuel dealers face strict financial obligations and must continuously inject capital just to keep their stations operating, Floro explained.
“Let us be understanding of each other. Let us not get angry at the dealers because they are also suffering. Every price increase raises their capital cost,” she said.
In Agusan del Sur, tricycle drivers in San Francisco town have been forced to wait for passengers in designated areas rather than roaming the streets to pick up commuters.
Favored spots include bus and jeepney stops where passengers disembark from trips in nearby localities. Many are also joining queues in front of the town’s three shopping malls.
Tricycle driver Renato Cubil said the successive fuel price hikes have significantly reduced their daily take-home income, which has dropped to an average of P300.
Adding to the uncertainty, tricycle drivers are anxiously waiting for the government’s P5,000 fuel subsidy, which has begun rolling out in Metro Manila.
“We still do not have any information if the subsidy will reach us, but we remain hopeful it will come, even if it is after the crisis ends,” Cubil said, echoing the uncertainty felt by many in the transport sector.
In San Francisco, diesel is priced at P105 to P138.40 per liter, while gasoline sells at P89.37 to P128 per liter.
Bebs Largo, a cashier at HKAK gas station, confirmed that their current fuel supply would last only until today, saying they are waiting for instructions from the owner on whether to adjust prices when a tanker from Cagayan de Oro City arrives in the evening.
Supreme Fuels, a local station operated by businessman Wilmar Sabaña, has been closed since Monday due to dwindling fuel supplies. Sabaña confirmed that they will resume operations on Wednesday.
