LTFRB -7 official admits issuing hearing notices for taxi franchises

CEBU, Philippines - Officials of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas yesterday admitted that they have received 185 applications for additional taxi units in Metro Cebu, but they have reportedly stopped processing the documents and have not approved any of the applications.

But LTFRB hearing officer Jose Douglas Sanson confirmed he signed notices of hearings for the 37 applications for taxi franchises even after the LTFRB head office in Manila suspended a previous Memorandum Circular 2009-035 that allows them to grant additional certificates of public convenience.

The members of the Metro Cebu Taxi Operators Association (MCTOA) strongly opposed the move of LTFRB to grant additional taxi franchises, saying there is already enough number of taxi units in Cebu and allowing more taxi units to operate will only affect the income of the drivers.

This prompted LTFRB-Manila to suspend the implementation of Memorandum Circular 2009-035 on February 18, 2010, but MCTOA president Richard Cabucos said they have gathered evidence that Sanson allegedly continues to conduct hearings of applications for franchise.

The LTFRB officials were invited by the City Council to the latter’s session yesterday to explain the issue.

While Sanson did not admit to the City Council that he had issued notices of hearings of the applications for franchise, he made his explanation before LTFRB-7 Regional Director Romulo Bernardez when he was required to do so.

Sanson said he was on sick leave from February 25 to March 15 and when he reported back to work, he was greeted with work backlog, which prompted him to sign the notices of hearings without knowing that the LTFRB-Manila had already suspended the implementation of MC 2009-035.

Sanson said he only learned of his mistake when a member of MCTOA went to his office and questioned him on the issued notices of hearings.

“The undersigned rests his case and hopes for understanding and consideration while admitting of having committed an act of simple inadvertence which was forthwith rectified and therefore preventing any resultant harm done to the office and or government,” Sanson told Bernardez.

The City Council yesterday asked the LTFRB-7 officials to refrain from acting on the pending applications for franchises without the concurrence of the City Traffic Operations Management, while CITOM executive officer Arnel Tancinco has been ordered to come up with a comprehensive study about the operations of taxis in the city.

LTFRB records show that in 2001, there were 4,500 taxi units operating here and the number went up to 6,079 between 2004 and 2008. The number, however, went down to 6,040.

The Councilors were also alarmed when some taxi operators disclosed that while a taxi franchise is only costs P10,000, it is reportedly given out at P60,000 up to P100,000.

“Kon dili ka mobayad sa maong kantidad dili molihok ang imong papel sa LTFRB. Mangutana mi, asa man mopaingon ang ubang kwarta nga ang resibo dies mil ra man?” Cabucos said.

Sanson denied knowledge about the allegations.  (FREEMAN NEWS)