Victory Liner seeks end to fare hike freeze as fuel costs soar

MANILA — Victory Liner has appealed to national authorities to lift restrictions on bus fare increases, citing mounting operational pressures from elevated petroleum prices and other cost pressures that could jeopardize provincial and urban transport networks. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board had previously approved a provisional fare adjustment, but implementation remains suspended pending further government consideration. The bus company argues that without relief from the current fare structure, operators face mounting financial strain that could force service disruptions across key provincial routes. Rising fuel costs have increasingly squeezed transport operators' margins, prompting repeated calls from the industry for regulatory relief. The fate of the fare adjustment proposal remains uncertain as the government weighs consumer impact against the operational sustainability of bus service providers serving millions of Filipino commuters daily.