Transport leaders score red tape at the LTO and LTFRB

ICLAJODA president Boyet Parcon

ILOILO CITY - Transport leaders assail the two regional offices of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) in Western Visayas or Region VI for not heeding the call of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte to simplify procedures or reduce red tape in order cut waiting time and costs.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) both in this city, merely aggravated the woes of public transport operators and drivers, heaves Boyet Parcon, president of the Iloilo City Loop Alliances of Jeepney Operators’ and Drivers’ Associations (ICLAJODA).

“They make procedures harder two ways: first by jacking up fees and second, by adding requirements that lengthens waiting time,” adds Alrey Alvarado, ICLAJODA vice president.

This writer interviewed the two transport leaders Jan. 9, 2017 at “Kape kag Isyu”, a TV talk show which he co-hosts along with Peter Jimenea.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered transportation bureaucrats to reduce red tape and corruption six months ago, before assuming the presidency.

ICLAJODA vice president Alvarado

“The LTO and LTFRB are yet to act on our letter to listen to our pleas to lower fines,” says Parcon. (The transport sector sued both agencies, after they turned down its petition: the suit is now before the Supreme Court.)

The two offices issued Joint Administrative Order No. 1 (2014) jacking up fines on violations. What used to be P300 shot up to P1,500 for the first offense and P5,000 for the second offense. In the third and last week of December, LTO enforcers nabbed more than 20 ICLAJODA members for various violations -- wearing slippers, not in uniform, defective warning lights, not trashcans, etc.

“It was a nice Christmas gift for us: one driver had to sell his hog in order to produce P5,000 to pay the fine,” recalls Parcon. “The family intended to slaughter it, sell one half of the meat, and cook the rest for the New Year.”

LTO used to accept staggered payments; however, under the new leadership, drivers must pay once and in full. With an average daily take of P250, a driver need to hit the road for two to three weeks to come up with P5,000.

Alvarado on the other hand, is unhappy with the New Year. The DOTC is phasing out PUJs that are more than 15 years old which means making 80 percent of owners and drivers jobless.

“Today, we are required to hire lawyers for the application or renewal of franchises,” Alvarado rues. “With that, our usual expense of P3,000 will run up to P7,000 at least.”

That’s still on top of the new requirement of compelling drivers to notarize practically all documents they submit.

“Before Duterte, it cost only P130 and took us only 30 minutes or less to apply for special permit (to travel out-of-route),” recalls Alvarado. “Today, it’s P180, P50 up and we are further punished by waiting for three hours.”

Without the special permit, an out-of-route jeepney is impounded if the operator cannot cough up a whooping P50,000 in fine.   

The LTFRB/LTO imposes five new requirements that applicants must comply to secure special permits, all completely unnecessary.

One such, is a copy of the “franchise verification”. Parcon says that the LTO requires only the original, not just machine copy.

That makes us wonder: why ask for the original copy when franchise verification is already available right in the data base of the agency and all that is needed is to click mouse or press on the keyboard?

Red tape pa more!

Is that the promised “change is coming”?