MANILA, Philippines – The Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has referred to its Legal Division for investigation of a provincial bus firm, which may have committed “specific violations of franchise” in its operations during the Holy Week and vowed to file charges against the company “accordingly”.
The LTFRB was responding to an article by Rick Alberto, editor for INQUIRER.net, posted on the website on April 8 entitled “A Bicol Trip Turned Sour” that narrated the inconvenience he experienced riding aboard the Isarog Lines to Catanduanes.
In his article, Alberto recalled how he paid an exorbitant price for an “executive class” ticket, waited for what seemed an eternity to get aboard the bus, which to his dismay, had seen better days, and then gone on a trip that would have put Calvary to shame.
In an email to INQUIRER.net, Frank M. Mendoza, LTFRB executive director, said, “Mr. Rick Alberto’s article ‘A Bicol Trip Turned Sour’ has been emailed to the Legal Division of the LTFRB Central Office on the day it came out to determine the specific violations of the franchise issued to the bus firm.”
“Finding legal basis, and with Mr. Alberto’s cooperation, we will charge the firm accordingly,” Mendoza said.
He said the LTFRB appreciated Alberto’s “candid narration” and encouraged others with similar experiences “to come forward with their complaints so we can hold erring operators to task and impose appropriate sanctions against them, including suspension or cancellation of franchise”.
Mendoza assured the public that “the LTFRB and the other agencies in the DOTC [Department of Transportation and Communication] family, are working hard to elevate our public land transportation system in the country”.
“We may not yet be there but with your vigilance and readiness to assert your rights, as what Mr. Alberto had done, we in government will be better able to correct the system’s shortcomings and zero in on the areas that really matter,” Mendoza said.