New policy will wipe out Cebu’s buses

CEBU, Philippines - Majority of the bus and mini-bus operators in Cebu are strongly opposing the latest resolution of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) phasing out buses and mini-buses that are already 15 years old and above.

“Daku ming supak kay kung ipatuman na, mahurot ang mga buses ug mini-buses nato dinhi sa Cebu,” said Julieto Flores, spokesperson of Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association said. (We oppose that because if they implement it, all buses and mini-buses in Cebu will be wiped out.)

Around 40 bus and mini-bus operators attended the meeting yesterday where they wanted to come up with a united stand against LTFRB Resolution 2013-01 that was issued on January 11, 2013 and received by the association last January 21.

LTFRB Resolution 2013-01 mandated the strict observance nationwide of the 15-year age limit of buses and mini-buses, even those units with road worthiness and Motor Vehicle Inspection Section certificate.

The said resolution added that no unit shall be the subject of a new application for franchise, for extension of validity of certificate of public convenience, for substitute of unit and for increase of number of units, if the said unit is more than the minimum requirement as specified by the time of expiration of the covering CPC.

Flores, who is also the president of the Cebu South Mini-bus Operators, said that he will personally submit their opposition in Manila next week to the Department of Transportation and Communication and LTFRB.

Flores said about 80 percent of the buses in Cebu will be affected if the resolution will be implemented while around 50 percent of the mini-buses will suffer the same fate.

There are around 1,600 buses and mini-buses operating in Cebu based on LTFRB-7 records.

“We will ask for an additional ten years kay ang atong mga buses diri majority gyud are road worthy. These are worth millions. Kada unit ang kantidad kay million gyud. Dili sad na mahimo nga ipanglabay na lang na namo tungod kay niabot na ug 15-year age limit,” said Flores. (Our buses in Cebu are worth millions and are still worthy. We can’t  just throw them all away just because they already reach the 15-year limit.)

LTFRB chairman Jaime Jacob, in his recent visit to Cebu, explained that putting an age limit for a public vehicle to operate is meant for the safety of both passengers and the drivers.

“Dahil kung masyado nang luma ang sasakyan, chances are marami na siyang sira. So kailangan talagang palitan for the safety of everybody,” Jacob added. (If  vehicles are too old, these would be vulnerable to malfunction so these must be changed for safety’s sake.) –(FREEMAN)