MANILA, July 18 — A ranking leader in the House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Land Transport and Franchise Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to explain the processing backlog of the necessary government permits for Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers.
In a statement, House Committee on Metro Manila Development chairman Winston Castelo pointed out that the regulatory board has failed to process pending applications from Uber and Grab drivers in an efficient and timely manner.
“While the LTFRB is tightening the noose on Uber and Grab drivers, it appears that the regulatory agency has itself to account for. Why are there so many applications for permits filed by TNVS drivers that they accepted but not processed?” Castelo said.
“If LTFRB’s objective is to lessen congestion in the roads of Metro Manila, then it should clarify why they continue to accept new permit applications for TNVs and allow the documented ones to serve the public. But LTFRB is taking in more applications that they fail to act on,” he added.
Castelo said the backlog in processing permits would be “unfair” for the TNVS drivers who will now run the risk of being apprehended for operating without a franchise.
“The practice is so unfair to the drivers who have invested hard earned money to join the app riding transport but run the risk of being apprehended because of applications that were not acted on,” Castelo said.
“They (LTFRB) should have provided guidelines and not give false hopes to the drivers who continue to invest only to be charged for violations,” Castelo added.
The Quezon City lawmaker, meanwhile, reminded the transport network companies (TNCs) Uber and Grab to police their ranks, regulate drivers, improve fare system and not tolerate colorums.
The LTFRB imposed a fine of PHP5 million each for Uber and Grab for its violations and ordered them to deactivate more than 50,000 colorum TNVS drivers.
Starting July 26, Grab and Uber drivers without franchises will be fined PHP120,000 and their vehicles impounded for three months should they continue to operate. (Filane Mikee Cervantes/PNA)
