Aumentado offers LTFRB

office space, manpower

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 16, (PIA) –Seeing that a district office of the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Bohol would be a huge service to Boholanos and its messed transportation problem, Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado offered the agency a free office space and complementary manpower, if only to settle here.

With that, LTFRB Regional Director and retired Colonel Eduardo Monte-alto Jr. promised to work it out with the central office to get the green light and start a district operation in Bohol.

The opening of a fully operational franchising and regulations office in Bohol means more accessible office to work out local franchised routes, public transport units registration for the route, and lesser costs considering the proximity as against transacting in their Cebu office.

During the Transportation Sector Forum called by the Bohol Provincial Tourism Office for the Office of the Governor, Gov. Aumentado who stayed most of the time to help resolve the messy public and tourism transport issues here, saw that a good balance of law enforcement and accessible means of getting legal gets a long way that just setting up highway checkpoints.

Hundreds of vans serving tourism needs in Bohol are provided by illegal operators using colorum vans.

These vans, indistinguishable from the legally operated compete with those who transacted with the LTFRB for the tourist franchise, which, by law, should be brand new vehicles and should be ten units under one name, all to make sure that the franchisee can prove that he has the money to ascertain the financial capacity for the sustainability of international standard operations for tour services, explain government authorities.

And because transacting the franchise does not happen in one day, operators who tend to waste at least four trips to LTFRB Cebu to process the franchise, often end up operating illegally instead.

A fixer for the franchise in Cebu allegedly demands P60,000.00 per transaction for Bohol operators, something that according to Director Montealto costs less than P5,000.

Moreover, with the LTFRB District office in Bohol, franchising authorities can also take easily to the highways and conduct checkpoints to apprehend vehicles operating without franchise.

While many think that apprehension and impounding of vehicles in violation of the franchise is not under LTFRB powers but the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Executive Order No. 202 which establishes the LTFRB also empowers the LTFRB to apprehend and impound vehicles.

Recently, the Department of Justice through Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, interpreting Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01, opined that the JAO is silent about the LTFRB power to impound while operating without the LTO.

On this, the LTFRB said that a DOJ secretary’s opinion is respected but the LTFRB, can really apprehend and impound erring operators’ vehicles.

Consequently also, LTFRB Reg Dir Montealto said, it still is not a problem, because as agencies under the DOTr, it is easy for the department to issue an order for deputation from the LTO, which officially legalizes the LTFRB apprehensions.

Violation for van operation without franchise is a steep P200K, and would certainly deter the van operators from pursuing their posing unjust competition to the legitimate operators.

The proliferation of the colorum vans for tourist transport in Bohol can also be traced by the incapacity of the local LTO to implement road checks.

LTO Bohol chief Yvonne C. Auza admitted during the forum that their office is understaffed, and the moment they go on field operations, services at the office can be hampered, while colorum operators have also organized an online LTO Field Team tracker, allowing colorum vehicles to seek routes which keep them from getting in LTO set-up road inspections.

With the LTFRB office operates in Bohol, not only can the team complement the LTO, it can also set up separate operations to keep the colorum transport operators on their feet at all times. (RAHC/PIA-7/Bohol)

OPEN INVITE. To help settle the messy transport sector industry in Bohol, Gov Erico Aristotle Aumentado has offered the LTFRB to set up a fully functional district office in Bohol, offering free space and manpower complement to make franchise transactions and applications accessible, making the process easy. The LTFRB, when here, can also deploy easily to implement field operations. (PIAbohol)

FOR THE INDUSTRY. Transport sector representatives gathered to discuss and resolve issues and concerns that contribute to the weight that Bohol is dragging while intending to make its tourism industry soar. Bohol as expensive destination is often the usual comment after one visits the tourist island. (PIA-7/Bohol)