Illegal Parking: PUVs parked along the roads (Last of Two Parts)

CEBU, Philippines - The officials of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) can revoke or cancel the Certificates of Public Convenience (CPC) of public utility vehicle (PUV) operators if found out that they submitted fake or spurious documents to support their applications for franchise.

The LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez issued Memorandum Circular 2013-003 last July 15, 2013 directing all LTFRB officials and employees to report immediately to the board or to the regional director once they discover fake or spurious documents and or misrepresentations.

LTFRB-7 Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon said the fake and spurious documents mentioned by Ginez also cover the practice of some operators of public utility vehicles who claim that they have a garage for all of their vehicles but actually do not or have a garage but have converted the area for commercial purposes.

In its website, the LTFRB officials said that among their goals for this year is to ensure that PUV operators will fully comply with the requirements to have a garage for their vehicles and to encourage operators to adopt improved maintenance practices, as well as ensure that they have the space to keep their off-duty vehicles off from public areas.

It has been the practice of PUV operators who do not have enough garage space for their vehicles to allow their drivers to bring the units they are driving to their respective homes. This could be one of the reasons why there are several passenger jeepneys and taxis that are parked along the roads overnight.

An owner of passenger jeepneys plying the Lahug-Carbon route, who used to park his vehicles by the roadsides at night, had decided to rent a vacant space in Barangay Lahug to use as a garage after traffic enforcers threatened to tow his vehicles for being road obstructions.

There are also several PUV operators who lease spaces in gasoline stations where their vehicles can be allowed to park overnight. 

The national highway in Barangay Busay near the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel becomes the longest parking area for both public and private vehicles at night, a proof that there are really a lot PUV operators as well as private vehicle owners who do not have parking spaces for their vehicles.

There are also PUV operators who sold some of their vehicles without informing the LTFRB to ensure that the concerned new owner of the vehicles have garage space for their units.

Still, some PUV operators allowed their trusted and favorite drivers to own their respective units through staggered payments.

LTFRB’s Cuizon said the public is requested to report to them public utility vehicles that are parked along roads obstructing traffic.

Cuizon plans to suggest to the LTFRB central office that PUV operators shall be required to present certifications from the barangay captains when they apply for a new franchise and when they renew their existing franchises to prove that they really have garage space for all their vehicles.

The LTFRB requires PUV operator to have garage space of at least 20 to 25 meters for every jeepney that they own, 35 meters for every bus or cargo truck and at least 15 meters of garage space for each taxi unit.

But Cuizon admitted that while he is very eager to strictly implement the rules that prohibit PUV operators to just park along roads, the lack of personnel stops him from doing so.

He encouraged local government units to be the one to enforce the law for the sake of the safety of their constituents.

There are also calls from law enforcement agencies, as well the Bureau of Fire and Protection that the law prohibiting parking along roads should also cover private vehicles.

Unauthorized use of plates

Meanwhile, another problem that LTFRB officials are faced with is the illegal transfer of license plates, especially among PUVs.

The office has received information that there are PUV operators who transfer the license plates of a particular bus, jeepney or taxi to other units, especially in cases when the original unit is not serviceable.

Cuizon said he also received reports that there are some public utility vehicles operating in the region that are using duplicated license plates. This illegal activity of some operators is popularly known as “kambal” or twin, wherein two vehicles are using the same plate number to make it appear that one is legally registered.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) issues two sets of plate numbers for each registered four-wheeled vehicle, one of which will be installed in front of the vehicle, while the other at the rear portion of the vehicle.

But some unscrupulous PUV operators do not use the plate for the rear portion and instead use improvised plates.  The plate intended for the rear part of the registered vehicle is then use as a front plate of another vehicle.

Mao kana nga sagad makakita ka nga dunay mga bus ug mga PUJs nga original plate ang anaa sa atubangan apan improvised plate ang sa luyo. Kon tan-awon nimo makapakita ‘sab na sila og papeles pero giisyu na sa laing sakyanan,” an insider at the LTO-7 revealed.

In April 10, 2006, the LTFRB issued a Memorandum Circular 2006-025, which provides that PUV operators caught illegally using for-hire plates or the use of authorized plates for another vehicle or unit shall be subject to cancellation of all franchises of his units and the operator shall be perpetually barred from acquiring vehicle’s franchise. — /QSB   (FREEMAN)