BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Major meat products have risen by at least P10, possibly driven by rising prices elsewhere, as jeepney drivers join a petition to hike fare by P2.50.
City Hall executive Ernie Pineda told DNX prices of pork, chicken, and beef have gone up by a low of P10 based on their monitoring of prices in three major public markets.
Pineda said the increase here could have been driven by higher prices elsewhere, especially in the country’s capital that had forced suppliers to raise their prices locally.
He added the rising prices of fuel does not seem to be a contributing factor.
The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide local affiliate has joined transport groups in Western Visayas region in a petition before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board seeking the fare hike, its chairman Diego Malacad told DNX.
He said the major demands of PISTON remain to be the suspension of excise tax and the 12 percent VAT on fuel that could drive prices down.
“The fare hike is only secondary,” Malacad said.
