City council summons LTFRB officials over franchise mess

By Dexter A. See 

BAGUIO CITY – The city council summoned ranking officials of the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to appear before its regular session on Sept. 16 to explain  circumstances that caused the regulatory agency to grant the issuance of franchises to some 200 taxi units plying  city roads.

The council came out with the decision to check whether the city needs the additional taxi units to cater to growing transportation needs of residents and tourists.

Also pending action by the local legislative body is a proposed resolution opposing the implementation of memorandum circular 2019-016 of the LTFRB relative to opening of additional taxi franchises for Baguio city and La Trinidad, Benguet to any point in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and in Butuan City to any point of the CARAGA Region.

The council reminded the LTFRB that the moratorium on the issuance of franchises to applicants of the operation of public utility vehicles is still in effect, thus, whatever action that will be undertaken by the LTFRB should pass the endorsement of the city council.

Earlier, Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong expressed disappointment over attempts of the LTFRB and concerned transport setors to circumvent moratorium on issuance of franchises to public utility vehicles by acting on the applications of those wanting to operate taxis plying the route La Trinidad to any point of the Cordillera but plying the routes inside the city.

The local chief executive said operation of the additional taxi units will aggravate traffic congestion.

Local legislators agreed to invite concerned LTFRB officials to explain the reason why the additional taxi franchises were opened despite the pending moratorium that was issued by the same agency over two decades ago and for the LTFRB to come out with a justifiable reason to support said issuance that seems to contradict the existing moratorium.

Based on the data of the LTFRB-CAR, there are over 3,200 taxi units with legitimate franchises operating in the city aside from the alleged increasing number of reported colorum taxi units.

The local city council expressed confidence that LTFRB officials will heed the invitation unlike in previous instances in the past that they refused to appear when they were given formal invitations for them to explain various issues surrounding the issuance of franchises to different public utility vehicles plying the city’s route despite the implementation of the moratorium on the same.

The LTFRB reportedly issued 200 taxi franchises on fleet management and another 200 units in lieu of the taxi units that have already ceased to operate in the city.