LTFRB to meet stakeholders on school service fee matrix

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced on Thursday that will discuss with various transport stakeholders the standard matrix of fees for school transport service.

 

LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said they have invited several school transport service providers, parents-teachers associations and school administrators to a consultative meeting on June 13 and June 14 to discuss the standard fees.

 

"Masusi naming pinag-aaralan ang karampatang ibabayad ng mga magulang sa pagkuha ng school transport service para sunduin at ihatid ang kanilang mga anak sa kanilang mga paaralan nang naayon sa kasalukuyang kalagayan ng ating ekonomiya," Ginez said.

 

Currently, there is no matrix of fees specified under the existing LTFRB Memorandum Circular on the guidelines governing school transport service. 

 

"We are more concerned about the safety and security of students that take the school buses daily to reach their schools and homes. Because of this, the Board conducts routine inspection of school buses to ensure they are road worthy before they are given CPCs (certificate of public convenience) to operate," Ginez added.

 

Besides granting CPCs to school service operators, the LTFRB has the regulatory power to determine and prescribe the fee rates of school bus operators, he said.

 

"Under the government’s open transparency principle, we want to hear the views of operators and other stakeholders, in this case the parents, in order to come up with the most feasible and best resolution to determine the rates,"Ginez said.

 

The LTFRB is mandated to require all school bus operators, whether they are bus/mini bus, van, and jeepney, to comply with the specifications and safety standards as prescribed by the Board before they are given permits.

 

Earlier this week, the LTFRB inspected school transport service providers’ vehicles in Makati and Pasig for roadworthiness of the vehicles. 

 

"We are satisfied with what we have seen during the routine inspection, we expect them (school bus operators) to ensure the safety and convenience of the students, otherwise we can revoke their licenses if found violating required specifications," Ginez added.