Transport group hits LTFRB; opposes 200 Baguio taxi slots

By Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY -- A petition was lodged against the move of the Land Transportation and Franchising Board (LTFRB) to reopen the application process for the replacement of the expired/abandoned taxi franchises in Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet.

On July 2, the LTFRB passed a resolution (LTFRB Resolution No. 117, Series of 2020) accepting anew applications for 200 taxi units in replacement of the “expired and abandoned” franchises.

The LTFRB resolution stated no applicants qualified during the selection process for the opening of 200 taxi units which was done in 2019.

All four applicants namely Cordillera Basic Sectors Cooperative, Ermadrada Taxi Transport Corp, NJL Transport, and BLISTT Alliance of Transport Multi-purpose Cooperative were disqualified during the pre-evaluation stage.

The LTFRB’s move, however, did not sit well with many taxi drivers and operators in the city.

In their letter of opposition, the undersigned described the LTFRB’s action as “grossly unresponsive, unfair, and prejudicial” to the existing PUV operators and drivers and to the public.

“The existing 5,000 taxi services more or less, are not fully operational due to the government restrictions imposed on PUVs. At this time, there is actually a glut or an oversupply of taxi services in the city,” the letter read.

They cited drastic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic to the city’s taxi services and further described the LTFRB’s move as “ill-timed, unjustifiable, and inequitable.”

“While we, the drivers and operators, are struggling with the crippling effect of the pandemic to our livelihood, we were blindsided by the action of the LTFRB in allowing the re-opening of additional taxi units especially at this worst of time,” the letter added.

Appearing before the city council on August 10, 2020, Eldon Lopez, Vice President of the Baguio-Benguet Taxi Drivers Association, disputed the claim that there is a need to replace the expired and abandoned taxi franchises.

“Hindi na natin kailangang buhayin ‘yung mga expired franchises dahil marami na po tayong bilang ng taxi units,” Lopez said.

Rey Bacoco and Melanio “Jun” Panayo, both representing their corporations that are applying for the additional taxi units, appealed to the city council to support the revival and/or replacement of the expired taxi franchises.

Bacoco recalled that, pursuant to the board’s Memorandum Circular No. 2018-008, individual applications were no longer allowed and that applicants were advised to consolidate into a single entity or form a corporation in order to reach the minimum number of required units which is 50.

LTFRB Resolution117-2020, however, stated that the minimum number of units per application for the additional taxi franchises is 25 and the maximum number is 50.

Panayo, on his part, said the implementation of LTFRB Resolution 117-2020 will further the cause of the PUV modernization program in the city.

“In the current taxi industry, there are thousands of single-owned taxi units. This program is intended to reform the business model of today by creating either cooperatives or corporations.” Panayo said.

“We support the formation of cooperatives which will be run by safety engineers, mechanics, and managers. This is more beneficial than having single-owned vehicles maintained by individual operators.

Between the two, which is more efficient?” Panayo continued.

Panayo also underscored that the consolidation of single-owned taxi units into cooperatives/corporations will accelerate the modernization of taxi services as it requires the installation of technology such as CCTVs, dashboard cameras, free Wi-Fi, and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).

Meanwhile, the council members reiterated that the city government opposes the entry of 200 new taxi units in the city as reflected in several resolutions passed by the city council.

Councilor Benny Bomogao, Chairperson of the Committee on Public Utility, Transportation, and Traffic Legislation, criticized the board’s seeming unwillingness to communicate with the City Government of Baguio on the matter.

“It appears that not a single response to our resolutions was made by the board. We should let them explain why they are not responding to our resolutions. We talk of collaboration among LGUs and national government offices. But records show that the LTFRB has been remiss of this vital virtue in governance,” Bomogao said.

The Committee on Public Utility, Transportation, and Traffic Legislation will make a report on all the council resolutions not acted upon by the LTFRB-Central Office and demand an explanation why the board had not responded to any of the council’s resolutions.

Councilor Mylen Victoria Yaranon moved for the reiteration of the city council’s request for a Land Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP). On September 23, 2019, the city council urged the immediate preparation of the LPTRP by the City Planning and Development Office and the Traffic Management Division of the City Engineer’s Office in coordination with the Traffic and Transport Management Committee (TTMC) of the LTFRB in order to identify the needs of the City in terms of public land transport service. The route plan was supposed to have been submitted in 2019 for the appropriate action of the city council.

However, the said offices have not yet submitted the LPTRP.

Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, through a resolution, requested the LTFRB to furnish the city council a report on the updated number of expired and abandoned franchises in aid of legislation.

Recently, Mayor Benjamin Magalong likewise expressed opposition to the board’s move to reopen the application for additional taxi franchises in the city.

"I am objecting to this for the simple reason that we have oversupply of taxis amid this pandemic. Besides, the City Government was never consulted on this," the mayor said.