BALANGA CITY – A number of drivers and passengers of jeepneys plying Bataan routes on Thursday accepted the additional fare hike of P1, even as some other drivers said they would have wanted a higher increase, consoling themselves that the hike was “better than nothing.”
“Ayos lang sa akin ang dagdag na piso sa pamasahe pero kulang pa rin ito dahil sa mahal ng diesel. Malaking bagay na rin ito kaysa sa wala,” driver Alson Silva said.
As in most passenger jeepneys, Silva uses a diesel-fed engine. Diesel in Bataan presently costs P79.40 to P82.95 per liter. Premium gasoline is between P78.45 and P83.20 a liter.
Silva plies the Balanga City to the Bataan National Agricultural School (BNAS) route in Abucay town.
He said that they have not yet implemented on Thursday the approved fare hike and still charge passengers the same fare of P50 each one way.
“Kung magtataas ng piso ay aabutin lang ng P55 ang Balanga City – BNAS, pero okay na ito kaysa walang dagdag. Mas maganda na ito kaysa wala,” Silva reiterated.
Some passengers registered no complaint on the increase in passenger jeepney fare.
“Okay lang sa akin ang taas pamasahe para makaginhawa naman ang mga driver. Ayos lang at walang problema ito,” passenger Jun Ortega said.
