LTFRB Press To Rethink Additional Taxi Franchises For Baguio

February 25, 2021 JUST IN

BAGUIO CITY (February 25, 2021) – The Baguio City legal office is asking the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to reconsider renewing franchises that expired subject only to modernization and improvement of service.
Baguio City Legal Office Officer-in-charge Atty. Richard Dayag said there were neither consultations nor actual study conducted prior to the issuance of LTFRB Memorandum Circular No. 2019-016 to determine the necessity of augmenting the number of taxi units in Baguio and La Trinidad, Benguet.
Dayag said the City Transportation and Traffic Management Division found no statistical data, published or unpublished, about a gap between the existing number of taxi units and actual demand in Baguio City and La Trinidad.
The said memorandum circular by the LTFRB was geared to open additional taxi franchises in Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet last year.
The transportation board aimed to accept additional 200 taxi franchises to replace “expired and abandoned franchises”.
On October 2020, the Baguio City Council its opposition to the LTFRB memorandum stating that it will only add up to the traffic problem of the city.
The council said that the current number of more than 3, 220 active taxi franchises is already sufficient to cater to the needs of the riding public.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong also expressed his strong opposition on the memorandum circular.
Dayag said that assuming that there is really a demand from the riding public for additional units, the fact remains that the roads of Baguio already reached the carrying capacity as shown by studies.

He stressed that the allowance of additional taxis detrimental to the City that will surely add to the traffic congestion that the people of Baguio are already experiencing.
“Priority of consideration should be given to the findings and determination of the LGU to give fullest and genuine meaning to its autonomy,” Dayag added. He reiterated that the LTFRB be recalled.
Artemio A. Dumlao