200 taxi application reopening opposed by transport group

August 15, 2020 Metro BLISTT

A petition was lodged against the move of the Land Transportation and Franchising Board (LTFRB) to reopen the application process for the replacement of the expired/abandoned taxi franchises in Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet.
On July 2, 2020, the LTFRB passed a resolution (LTFRB Resolution No. 117, Series of 2020) accepting anew applications for the 200 taxi units in replacement of the “expired and abandoned” franchises.
The LTFRB resolution stated no applicants qualified during the selection process for the opening of 200 taxi units which was done in 2019. All four applicants namely Cordillera Basic Sectors Cooperative, Ermadrada Taxi Transport Corp, NJL Transport, and BLISTT Alliance of Transport Multipurpose Cooperative were disqualified during the pre-evaluation stage.
The LTFRB’s move, however, did not sit well with many taxi drivers and operators in the city. In their letter of opposition, the undersigned described the LTFRB’s action as “grossly unresponsive, unfair, and prejudicial” to the existing PUV operators and drivers and to the public.
“The existing 5,000 taxi services more or less, are not fully operational due to the government restrictions imposed on PUVs… At this time, there is actually a glut or an oversupply of taxi services in the city,” the letter read.
They also bemoaned the drastic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to the city’s taxi services and further described the LTFRB’s move as “ill-timed, unjustifiable, and inequitable.” “While we, the drivers and operators, are struggling with the crippling effect of the pandemic to our livelihood, we were blindsided by the action of the LTFRB in allowing the re-opening of additional taxi units especially at this worst of time,” the letter added.
JHabilling