The National Council for Commuter Protection (NCCP) filed today on additional petition before the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) seeking to the abolition of the P10 compulsory tip as additional fare of taxi riders all over the country.

Lawyer Vicente Millora, NCCP chairman, siad their petition is in connection with the series of price rollbacks for Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), which is fuel used by most taxicabs in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

"Taxi operators has no more reason to impose the P10 additional fare," Milliora told The STAR.

Metro and provincial taxi operators has earlier exposed opposition to any move to remove the additional fare, saying they have yet to recover from the series of oil price hikes in past months.

Operators said that if the additional P10 tip is removed, they will file a petition for increase in the flag down rate, which was last adjusted four years ago.

Milliora said however that they would oppose such move because the oil prices are going down in the world market. "We will submit our computation before the LTFRB," he said.

LTFRB chairman Thomson Lantion said they would deliberate on the NCCP petition and make a recommendation before Christmas.

I think this would be good for all of us and it is just right that the LTFRB should approve the petition of the NCCP to the abolition of the P10 compulsory tip because the fuel price have already rollback and even LPG. So, it is just right that the taxicab have to rollback there taxi fare specially since Christmas season is coming. I also have some comments about taxi drivers during Christmas season although not all but there are taxi drivers who ask higher fare to their passenger and not only that taxi drivers also choose their passengers. They don't take a passenger when it's heading to a long distance and have many laggage. It is sad and bad to have this kind of drivers here in my country but it's the truth besides I had experienced this kind of treatment before when I was heading home with my friend and we were bringing a lot of things and a lot of taxis were falling in line but none of them want ed us to ride so we waited until another taxi arrived and so we said to those who didn't allow us to ride that we will complain in the LTFRB.