Sec. Roxas urged not to believe detractors:No illegal sale of franchise, say Pantranco bus workers

By Christian D. Supnad

DAGUPAN CITY -- The more than 2,000 retrenched employees of the defunct Pantranco North Express, Inc. appealed Thursday to Transportation Sec. Mar Roxas “not to be misled by black propaganda of a few operators of bus companies and should look instead into the interest of the thousands of employees and their dependents.”

The employees appeal came in the wake of reports that the few bus operators appeared to be succeeded in misleading Roxas by issuing press releases in daily newspapers to make it appear that the selling of Pantranco franchise to the Hernandez family was illegal.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has ruled that the franchise of the Pantranco North Express Inc.,(PNEI) a government-controlled corp. is legitimate and its selling to other private bus company is legal, contrary to what oppositors are floating.

 In its decision, the LTFRB said that the Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) issued to Pantranco is valid, citing Articles 1 and 12 of the 1987 Constitution which states in part

“The goals of the national economy are a more equitable distribution of opportunities, income and wealth, a sustained increase in the amount of goods and services.” 

The LTFRB, urged oppositors Nilo Baligod, Baliwag Transit, G.V. Florida, Partas, Phil. Rabbgit, ES Transport, Dagupan Bau, Saulog Bus and Genesis- to welcome the challenge of competition.

“In essence, the effect of competition is more advantageous to the public in general for it will encourage businessmen to improve the quality of their services in the interest of the public safety and convenience. Thus, the  application of the oppositors that the approval of it (franchise) would result into cut-throat and destructive will not lie,”   said Samuel Julius Garcia and lawyer. Manuel Iway, board members of the LTFRB.

The LTFRB said “This is in line with the program of government to elevate the economic condition and tourism industry of other regions and for the utilization of new highways such as SCTEX…allowing farmers and fisher folks to distribute their products.”

After the awarding of the franchise, the Pantranco Retrenched Employees Association (PANREA) and the Pantranco Employees Association (PEA), two legitimate labor organizations of the former employees of Pantranco,  sold it to a private buyer after the National Labor Relations Commission gave the go-signal to give benefits to its unpaid more than 2,000 retrenched employees.

“It was a legitimate franchise awarded to us by the LTFRB, a legitimate business deal and nothing illegal. But to the eyes of other selfish bus competitors, it was irregular because they do not want to have a fair competition to promote their own selfish interest and  personal aggrandizement,” said PANREA president Romy Alfonso and PEA president Jun Pascua.  

The move by other bus competitors to sabotage the sale of Pantranco franchise has also earned the ire of the more than 2,000 Pantranco employees who asked DOTC secretary Mar Roxas not to be hoodwinked by the noisy competitors whose real intention is to block the long over due benefits of the retrenched Pantranco employees.

“We thank the various government agencies and instrumentalities, especially President Aquino, the NLRC, the LTFRB, DOTC, Department of Labor and the Hosue Committee on Labor and Employment for heeding our cries for justice and compassion,” said Alfonso and Pascua in as statement.

“We know in our hearts that the powers that be know of our plights and we will not be swayed by unscrupulous and exploitative bus operators who care nothing for our families and our quest for vindication,” said Alfonso and Pascua.