After the Federation of Bacolod City Drivers Association (Febacda) filed a petition demanding fare hikes with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) last week, ridesharing firm Grab has since filed a similar request, in light of the implementation of an excise tax on oil and fuel products resulting from the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

According to the petition, “The increase in fare would ensure that the current technology would continue giving the riding public the capability of selecting the kind of vehicle desired, the time of pick up, and the exact location of pick up and drop off.”

Grab hopes to increase fares from P10 to P14 per kilometer to P11 to P15 per kilometer, while they would also like to see the P2 per minute charge increase to P2.10 per minute.

In contrast, based on a report by ABS-CBN News, Grab rival Uber has revealed they currently do not have plans to file such a petition.

“We will monitor impact [of the excise tax] on driver earnings,” said Uber communications head Catherine Avelino.

According to Department of Energy Undersecretary Felix Fuentebella, gasoline, diesel, and kerosene prices are expected to go up by around P3 per liter under the new law.

Last week, the LTFRB responded to a fare hike request from the Philippine National Taxi Operators’ Association (PNTOA), saying the group needed to provide more reasons to justify their cause.

“They need to justify why the board should grant a fare increase and what services will be delivered,” explained LTFRB Board Member Aileen Lizada./PLL, WDJ