LTFRB issues show-cause order to EDSA busway consortiums

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Monday has issued show-cause orders against the two consortiums operating along the EDSA Busway for failing to deploy sufficient number of buses and amid “persistent reports” of non-payment of drivers’ and conductors’ salary despite having received payments for the Libreng Sakay Program.As a result, LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra said the two consortiums were ordered to explain why their special permits should not be cancelled, suspended or not penalized for the low turnout of bus units that led to long queues at EDSA Monumento.

“Minabuti nating mag-issue ng show-cause order, directing the two consortiums running the EDSA Busway why their franchise or special permit in running the EDSA Busway should not be cancelled, suspended or that they be not penalized for deploying so few units,” Delgra explained on Monday during the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) Road Sector media briefing.

Chairman Delgra explained that the agreed cap on the maximum allowable units of bus units are at 550 buses but the two consortiums on Monday only averaged as low as 120 units.

“Nakita natin kanina nag-average lang ng 150 units ‘yung dalawang consortium. At the lower end pa nga, umabot ng as low as 120 units if I’m not mistaken. We have to call their attention and direct the two consortiums to explain why the employment of these units,” Chairman Delgra said.

On the other hand, Chairman Delgra reiterated that the two consortiums were already paid under the Service Contracting Program yet there are still persistent reports of drivers and conducts complaining of their unpaid salary despite giving full service.

“Now that we have paid so much of this to operators already, particularly dito sa EDSA Busway Consortium or anyone for that matter, hindi na nila pwedeng gawing rason ang hindi pagbabayad sa kanilang drivers,” Chairman Delgra said.

He also reminded the two consortiums are responsible as there is a “employee-employer relationship” between parties and their contractual obligation as mandated by the Labor Code for the EDSA Busway Libreng Sakay Program.

“Mayroong kakulangan ang mga bus operators dito sa hindi pagbabayad ng mga sweldo ng kanilang mga tauhan. There is an employee-employer relationship doon sa mga bus operator and doon sa mga tsuper at konduktor that they hired,” he explained.

“I’d like to remind the bus operators, this is just not a contractual obligation but it is also an obligation that is mandated under the labor code. So, kailangan nilang bayaran ‘yang sweldo na ‘yan. Kikita man o sa palagay nilang malulugi sa palagay nila, kailangan paring bayaran ang sweldo,” he added.

Likewise, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor also reminded operators of their obligation to the public, explaining that “public transport is imbued with great public interest” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Alam natin na binaba dito sa NCR ang Alert Status to Level 3 kung kaya’t mas maraming pasahero ang sumakay. As Secretary Tugade always says— public health and public safety are at stake. Ipinapaalala natin sa mga kaibigang operators na itong ginagawa natin sa EDSA Busway or public transportation in general ay kinakailangan lagi tayong tumalima sa ating service level kung ilang units ang kinakailangang i-deploy at any given time,” Asec. Pastor said.

Ayuda sa mga driver ng mga pampublikong sasakyan sa gitna ng pandemya

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Imbes na direktang pagtataas ng pamasahe na makaka-apekto sa higit na nakararaming pasahero, isinusulong ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) at Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) ang pagbibigay ng ayuda sa mga driver ng mga pampublikong sasakyan sa gitna ng pandemya.
Ayon kay Transportation Secretary Art Tugade, itinutulak ng DOTr at LTFRB ang mga programa na magbibigay tulong, suporta, at ayuda sa mga driver at operator, na hindi nangangailangang magpatupad ng taas pamasahe.

“Kinakailangang balansehin natin ang pangangailangan ng mga drayber sa kakayanan ng mga pasahero ngayong pandemya. Kaya imbes na direktang pagtataas ng pamasahe, ayuda sa drayber at ayuda sa pasahero ang itinutulak natin,” pahayag ni Secretary Tugade.

“Naiintindihan namin ang sitwasyon ng ating mga drayber at tsuper, ngunit naiintindihan din namin ang hirap ng ating mga commuter. Alam naman natin na may ilan tayong kababayan na nawalan ng trabaho. Marami rin naman sa atin ang kababalik pa lamang sa trabaho. Ngayon pa lamang sila bumabawi, kaya sa aming pananaw ay hindi napapanahon na magpatupad ng fare increase,” dagdag ni Secretary Tugade.

Ayon naman kay DOTr Assistant Secretary Mark Steven Pastor, masusing pinag-aaralan ng LTFRB ang petition for fare hike na inihain ng mga transport group noong nakaraang linggo. Daraan aniya ang petisyon sa mga pagdinig bago ang pagtukoy kung kailangang magtaas ng pamasahe.

Inihayag din ni Pastor na patuloy ang pakikipag-ugnayan ng DOTr at LTFRB sa Department of Energy (DOE) upang magkaroon ng uniform discount ang mga pampublikong sasakyan, partikular na ang mga jeepneys, sa lahat ng mga gas stations sa buong bansa.

Sumulat na rin ang DOTr at LTFRB sa DOE upang magbigay ng suhestyon kung paano maiibsan ang epekto ng tuloy-tuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng langis sa operasyon ng mga PUV, kasama na dito ang pagbibigay ng fuel subsidy.

“Sumulat po kami last week, ang DOTr at LTFRB sa Department of Energy upang magbigay ng suhestyon at upang humingi rin ng kanilang cooperation na magkaroon po sana ng mga programa ang DOE na maging mandatory po ‘yung mga discounts sa ating public utility vehicles sa mga gas stations nationwide,” dagdag ni Asec. Pastor.

“With the guidance nga ni Secretary Tugade, kailangan nating balansehin ang interes. Kinikilala natin at ramdam natin ang kailangan ng ating mga tsuper at operator, but at the same time, maghanap tayo ng solusyon na hindi rin matatamaan ‘yung mas nakararami pa na mga mananakay,” ani LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III sa kanyang panig.

Samantala, muling inaanyayahan ng DOTr at LTFRB ang mga drayber at operator na lumahok sa Service Contracting Program, kung saan babayaran sila ng gobyerno sa kada nakumpletong biyahe o trips, habang sinisiguro na mananatiling tuluy-tuloy ang kanilang pamamasada. Bilang konsiderasyon sa pagtaas ng presyo ng krudo, pinag-aaralan na rin na taasan ang insentibong ibinibigay sa ilalim ng programa.

Dagdag pa dito, hinihikayat din ang mga transport stakeholder na samantalahin ang libreng pagpapabakuna. Noong Hulyo, inilunsad ang vaccination drive para sa PUV drivers at ibang empleyado ng transport sector. Magagamit nila ang kanilang vaccination cards para makatanggap ng mga karagdagang diskuwento sa gas stations at mga kainan.

With Alert Level 3 for NCR, DOTr Pushes for Increase In PUV Passenger Capacity

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

With the downgrading of the quarantine status in the National Capital Region (NCR) from Alert Level 4 to the more relaxed Alert Level 3, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to recommend to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) an increase in passenger capacity in public utility vehicles (PUVs).

“Irerekomenda po ng Kagawaran ng Transportasyon ang pagtaas ng passenger capacity sa ating mga PUVs to cope up with the increased number of individuals using public transport due to the imposition of a more relaxed quarantine status,” said DOTr Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Steve Pastor in an online media briefing on Monday, 18 October 2021.

Asec. Pastor was joined in the media briefing by Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin Delgra III and Land Transportation Office (LTO) Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante.

Asec. Pastor said that increasing the number of PUV passenger capacity from the current maximum capacity of 50 percent as mandated by health protocols, to a significant increase, subject to the health and safety protocols to be set by the IATF, will not only help commuters but also PUV drivers and operators, as well.

“Tinitignan natin na magtaas ng seating capacity sa public transportation. Bilang tugon sa lumalaking gastusin sa day-to-day operations ng ating operators, and at the same time, this will also address yung matagal na hinihiling ng ating mga kasamahan sa business sector na dapat mas mapalago ang economic activities. We can contribute to that through an increase in public transportation, and their capacity,” Pastor said.

“Nais po naming bigyang diin yung guidance ni Secretary Art Tugade na dapat po balansehin natin ang pangangailangan ng ating mga drivers, ‘yung pangagailangan ng ating mga operators kumpara sa kakayanan ng ating mga pasahero ngayong pandemya. Maalala natin na karamihan sa ating mga kababayan ay nahinto sa trabaho, yung iba naman ay babalik pa lamang sa trabaho because of the Level 3 status dito sa NCR,” Pastor added.

Pastor said that while the increase in PUV vehicle passenger capacity amid the ongoing Alert Level 3 quarantine status in Metro Manila will be significant, he assures that the proposal to be submitted to the IATF will be based on both technical and medical studies.

“The increase will be significant. I cannot give the exact figure at this point in time, dahil ang gusto po ni Secretary Tugade, ang ating magiging proposal sa IATF ay ‘di lamang based on technical expertise but also backed-up by medical studies. Ang bilin po ni Sec. Tugade, kinakailangan po na safe ang pag-iincrease natin. Sa puntong ito ay inaaral po natin itong mabuti at kumukuha po kami ng relevant data from studies and journals to back-up this proposed increase para matulungan po natin ang mga operators and drivers,” he said.

In addition, following the directive of Transportation Secretary Tugade, the DOTr will also consider the safety protocols existing in the affected local government units in its proposal to be submitted to the IATF.

Pastor said that for the meantime, the DOTr will continue its monitoring of passenger capacity in PUVs amid the pandemic.

“Kasabay din ng pagdami ng ating pasahero ay ‘yung mga nag-violate ng ating existing health protocols. Kung kaya’t nag meet kami ng I-ACT to reiterate yung directive ni Secretary Tugade that health protocols should be enforced at all times. Kaya tuloy ang pagkakaron ng random inspections, random mystery passengers to ensure po na 50 percent maximum load po tayo at this point in time habang isinaayos pa nami ang ating magiging request sa IATF to increase the seating capacity,” he said.