LTFRB hits back at Makati on free bus ride dispute

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Monday said that the Makati City government is contradicting itself when it called as unreasonable the board's move to require commuters taking the free bus service to present a valid Makati company identification card.

The LTFRB is requiring passengers availing the Makati City government's free shuttle service from the Metro Rail Transit's North Avenue station in Quezon City to Ayala Avenue to present proof that they are working in Makati.

The LTFRB added that an ordinance passed by the Makati Council clearly shows that intended beneficiaries of the service are "all employees working in the City of Makati."

The board also said that the requirement as well as presentation of proof before a commuter is provided a free ride were clearly stated in Section 2 of the Ordinance, "Government and private workers and employees assigned in Makati City, after presenting due proof, shall be entitled to free ride on a 'first-come-first-served' basis."

It said that this contradicts the stand of the Makati City government’s legal division in its motion for reconsideration, stating that the service is for all commuting passengers going to Makati City.

The Makati City government filed a motion for reconsideration last May 30, asking the LTFRB to remove one of the conditions stated in the "Order of the Board" dated May 16.

The board granted special permit for the Makati City government to operate a shuttle bus service using six units with certain conditions.

In an order to be served by the Board today, it states: "It is absurd for the Makati City Government to argue that the said condition is unreasonable and improper because it was the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Makati who provided the said limitation and not the Board itself."

"If the Board allows all commuters going to Makati City to avail of the free shuttle service ride even if they are not workers or employees in Makati City contrary to the express and mandatory provisions of the said Ordinance, the Board will be allowing something which is not specified in the Libreng Sakay ng Makati Ordinance,"LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said.

"Naging considerate na po ang Board sa pagbibigay ng special permit to allow them operate the free shuttle service, pero hindi naman po tama na akusahan pa ang Board na unreasonable sapagkat ang ipinataw naming kundisyon sa kanilang Motion ay hango na rin sa sarili nilang Ordinance," he added.

The Board, according to Ginez, shares the Makati City Government’s aim of providing commuters convenient and safe travel.

"We have decided to waive the condition we initially set of requiring passengers of the free shuttle to purchase a single journey MRT ticket to avail of the free shuttle service," Ginez said.