by Redjie Cawis

Cab drivers in Baguio City and Benguet want government to include taxi cabs in the fuel subsidy being offered by the national government.

According to members of a taxi operators and drivers association who do not want to be identified, taxis are also part of the transport sector and they should also be given subsidy.

They also claim that the taxi groups have legitimate transport franchise which is a requirement by the Department of Energy in securing the smart card for the subsidy.

Last week, President Benigno Aquino III said that government has approved a fuel subsidy for public utility jeepneys and tricycles amid rising oil prices. Aquino said the funds would be sourced from government savings.

The DOE plans to start distributing smart cards to jeepney drivers under the government’s fuel assistance program by May.

Some 214,000 cards will be distributed, each good for P1, 050 worth of diesel fuel, to help PUV drivers cope with rising prices of fuel.

The DOE is coordinating with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to draw up a list of legitimate franchise holders. They are still screening banks that will print the smart cards to make sure the cards are good only for fuel discounts

Meanwhile, the Public Transport Affairs Office and other taxi operators are still pushing for the P15 additional fare of taxi.

PTAO head Perfecto Itliong said that their petition for the increase of the flagged down rate is still pending in the Department of Transportation and Communication and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. (RC-PIA CAR)