No Fare Freestyle: DOTr Warns Bus Firms Against Unapproved Hikes
The Department of Transportation is warning bus companies not to get creative with ticket prices habang naka-alert ang gobyerno sa fuel-driven transport pressure. Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said operators caught raising fares without approval could face citations, sh
The Department of Transportation is warning bus companies not to get creative with ticket prices habang naka-alert ang gobyerno sa fuel-driven transport pressure. Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said operators caught raising fares without approval could face citations, show-cause orders, and even franchise suspension.
According to the report from The Manila Times, authorities are checking complaints that some operators at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange may have already imposed fare increases on their own. Lopez said the government is prepared to act once violations are confirmed.
The key issue here is simple: fare adjustments are not up to individual operators. Any increase has to pass through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and Lopez stressed that bypassing that process can put a company’s permit at risk.
The warning also follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s earlier move to suspend a planned public utility vehicle fare hike that had been set to take effect on March 19. That order signaled that the administration wants tighter control over transport costs while consumers are already dealing with higher fuel prices.
For commuters, the message is medyo diretso: if a fare increase looks suspicious, it may not be legal. For bus firms, the government’s position is even clearer — no approval, no fare hike.
