WB: FX cabs taking toll on anti-pollution drive

The proliferation of FX taxi cabs in the country may be taking its toll on the government’s anti-smoke belching program, a World Bank (WB) study shows.

In its study, entitled "Philippines Environment Monitor 2002, WB said that such programs "carried out by local governments and the Metro Manila Development Authority over the last decade have reduced the number of smoky vehicles in the main roads" of Metro Manila.

"In Metro Manila, pollution caused by jeepneys may have declined because of the use of larger and cleaner second-hand engines by the manufacturers," the international body noted.

In 1999, Congress has passed RA 8749 (Clean Air Act) to eliminate air pollution. A major component of the law is the implementation of an anti-smoke belching program to flush out air polluting vehicles from the road. Previous studies showed that motor vehicles are the primary source of air pollution in the country. But in the study, WB maintained that the introduction of FX taxicabs "may have negated" the gains of the anti-smoke belching campaigns.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) have estimated that there are 5,000 FX taxicabs in the country. Around 99 percent of them have a franchise for "Mega" operations but are, instead, running as "Filcab." Under the LTFRB policy, "Mega" FX taxis should use meters in determining fares. "Filcab" taxis, on the other hand, are allowed to impose fares on "per head" basis.

An LTFRB official has admitted that while FX taxis help soften the shortage of public transport facilities in the country, they are already beyond the control of the board. The official added that most FX taxi owners prefer "Filcab" operations but could not apply for "Filcab" franchise because of the requirements that go with it.

For one, the LTFRB requires "Filcab" operators to have terminals on both ends of their route. Many FX taxi owners, however, could not afford this prompting them to settle for "Mega" franchise.

The WB study shows that "transport is a significant contributor" to air pollution.