By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 6 launched “Oplan Balik Eskwela, Ligtas Biyahe” in view of today’s opening of classes.
Through the program, LTFRB will ensure there are enough safe public utility vehicles for students to ride, especially for those coming from the towns, said Regional Director Romulo Bernardez.
Special permits will be issued to buses and public utility jeepneys from the towns, he said.
LTFRB, along with the Land Transportation Office and the Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group, will also inspect and monitor bus and jeepney terminals and major thoroughfares, he said.
“We will be on the lookout for dilapidated jeeps and buses, those with no franchises and those that are overloaded,” Bernardez stressed.
Meanwhile, the LTFRB regional director said local transport groups have themselves to blame for the non-approval of their fare hike petition.
Transport groups, especially those from Bacolod and Negros Occidental, “filed a petition for a P.50 provisional fare increase” but “did not submit their supplemental position paper required by LTFRB,” he said.
This was why land transportation authorities did not act on their petition, which had been pending for a year already, he stressed.
On Friday, LTFRB approved a P.50 increase in minimum jeep fares (from P8 to P8.50), which can be collected starting June 14, in Metro Manila and Central and Southern Luzon./PN
