Bus line suspension lessens Mountain Province tourism

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- With the cancellation of a franchise bought by GV Florida Transport Inc. from Mt. Province Cable Tours covering the unit involved in the fatal Bontoc bus crash, the route it had been taking from Quezon City to Sagada is now vacant and it is hurting the province’s tourism business.

The absence of a direct line servicing the Bontoc-Manila and vice versa route more than a month now after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board suspended the whole fleet of Florida bus servicing Northern Luzon due to the tragic accident that happened here Feb. 7 has resulted to significant decline of foreign and domestic tourist arrivals,” Gov. Leonard G. Mayaen said in this capital town last week.

Mayaen said the matter on whether or not to cancel the franchise of the Florida bus company servicing the Manila-Bontoc-Sagada is within the jurisdiction and power of the LTFRB but the decision on the pending case should be expedited for visitors and the people to be aware of what to do once they travel going to and from the province.

“We want public utility vehicles plying the province to be road worthy to guarantee the safety of life and property but we do not want our local tourism industry to be hostaged by the LTFRB’s failure to timely decide on the pending case, thus, the need for the agency to already issue special permits to bus companies interested to play the Manila-Bontoc route, especially during the summer months where there will be the expected influx of visitors,” Mayaen said.

One of the buses of the Florida bus plunged into a 150-meter deep ravine at sitioPaggang, Talubin, here resulting to the death of 15 people and inflicting injuries to 32 others in the morning of  Feb. 7.

 While there are other modes of transportation to the province, Mayaen said the direct trip from Manila to the capital town still plays a key role in spurring the influx of foreign and domestic tourist arrivals, especially those wanting to visit the scenic and historic caves of Sagada, which will be beneficial to the province’s economic growth.

Bontoc could be reached by bus through a 4-hour travel from Baguio City via the Halsema Highway, a 2-hour travel from Santiago City, Isabela via Banaue, Ifugao, a 4-hour travel from San Fernando, La Union via the Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur road and a 6-hour travel from Tabuk City, Kalinga via the Bontoc-Tabuk-Cagayan road.

The governor is hoping that the LTFRB will be able to decide on the fate of the florida bus so that foreign and domestic tourists wanting to visit the province in time for the staging of the “Lang-ay festival” and the 47th foundation anniversary of the province on April 7 will be able to look for alternative modes of transportation on how to be in the town in time for the staging of the crowd drawing events.

He appealed to visitors wanting to visit the scenic spots in the province to make do with the existing modes of transportation through the aforesaid routes to reach destinations so they will still be able to visit tourist spots even without direct trip from Manila.

Aside from the rice terraces and caves in Sagada town, other frequently visited tourist destinations in the province include the hot springs in Bontoc and Sadanga and the towering and majestic mountains provincewide.

This, as the LTFRB said it would study if there are new franchise applications for the route.          

The Quezon City-Sagada route is expected vacated as the cancelled franchise cover 10 buses.

After announcing the cancellation last week, LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said in Manila they would study the possibility of granting franchise to other applicants.

A moratorium on the issuance of franchises is currently in effect.

The vehicle involved in the accident was a unit of Dagupan Bus Inc. bought by GV Florida. It used a franchise of Mt. Province Cable Tours sold to GV Florida.

The board has ruled that this violated the Public Service Code, prompting it to cancel the franchise covering 10 buses.

The other 28 franchises originally held by GV Florida were also suspended for six months, starting March 11, for the unauthorized purchase of the franchise of Mt. Province Cable Tours and unauthorized use of the bus unit registered to Dagupan Bus Co. The 28 franchises cover 188 buses.

According to LTFRB’s 25-page decision, the cancelled franchise of Mt. Province Cable Tours earlier sold to GV Florida covers 10 buses.

They also took into consideration the results of police investigation that pointed to mechanical failure of the ill-fated bus and the fault of driver Edgar Reynon.

The vehicle involved in the accident was a bus of Dagupan Bus Co. bought by GV Florida. It used a franchise of Mt. Province Cable Tours sold to GV Florida.

Since the violation was committed only by GV Florida without the involvement and participation of Dagupan Bus Co., the board considered its explanation.

While the board recognized the business impact of the suspension on the employees of GV Florida, Ginez said it had to penalize the company over the Feb. 7 road mishap that left 15 people dead and 32 others, including the driver, injured.

While the 28 franchises of GV Florida are suspended, its drivers are required to secure competency certificates from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, while its conductors must secure licenses from the Land Transportation Office.

The drivers and conductors are also required to undergo drug testing at least 30 days before the expiration of the suspension of the 28 franchises.

The units of GV Florida must also undergo inspection.

Lei Jimenez, wife of comedian Arvin “Tado” Jimenez, one of the fatalities, welcomed the decision but said the government must look into the problems of the entire transport sector. She also said the welfare of the affected workers of GV Florida must be looked into.

The board said it would study if and when there are applications for the Quezon City-Sagada route covered by the cancelled franchise. –With a report from Dexter A. See