By Aerol John Pateña/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is appealing to drivers of transportation network vehicle services (TNVS) units to reconsider their plan to stage a nationwide transport holiday on Monday.
LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III urged the TNVS drivers to consider the interest of the riding public and conduct a dialogue with the board to air their concerns.
“We ask TNVS operators to be more circumspect in their plan to hold a transport holiday that will affect the commuting public. Instead, we urge them to bring their legitimate concerns to LTFRB, in dialogue, so that the Board can address them and not hold the riding public hostage by their planned disruptive action,” Delgra said in a statement on Friday.
“The LTFRB welcomes constructive criticisms and feedbacks from all stakeholders,” he added.
On Monday, TNVS driver groups are expected to temporarily go offline from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to protest the delays in the processing of applications for certificates of public convenience by the LTFRB.
Meanwhile, ridesharing firm Grab Philippines said it respects the right of its TNVS driver-partners to free speech and assembly as it calls for the exercise of restraint in holding their protest actions.
“We urge our TNVS partners to show utmost restraint before taking actions that could negatively impact the ability of passengers to book rides,” Grab Philippines Public Manager Nicka Hosaka said in a separate statement.
“We recognize the TNVS partners’ right to free speech and peaceable assembly. In many ways, we also support the call for smoother processes and faster timelines,” she added.
In a related development, a group of hatchback drivers said it is set to file a complaint against the LTFRB before the Office of the Ombudsman to oppose their deactivation.
Metro Hatchback Community chairman Jun de Leon said hatchbacks are allowed to operate as TNVS until February 2021 under LTFRB Memorandum Circular 2018-005.
However, the LTFRB refused to accept and process their franchise applications.
The same group filed a mandamus case against the LTFRB before the Quezon City Regional Court for stopping the application of hatchback drivers last June 21.
A total of 1,225 hatchback vehicles were deactivated in June, according to the Metro Hatchback Community.
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