Submit papers, Uber, Grab told
THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) yesterday urged the 733 applicants for Transport Network Vehicle System (TNVS) on Uber and Grab to process their provisional authority (PA) now.
LTFRB 7 Director Ahmed Cuizon said 764 TNVS applications for Uber and Grab were received until Sept. 7, 2016.
Cuizon said that of the 764 pending applications, only 59 have submitted complete documents, and of the 59, only 31 processed and secured their PAs.
Of the 31, 24 are from Grab and seven are for Uber. They are now authorized to operate for 45 days, the validity period of their PA.
“We are disappointed with the turnout considering that of the hundreds of applicants, only 31 secured PA. As a matter of fact, there are already 59 who have completed their documents and why are there only 31 who got PA?” Cuizon said.
Apprehension
Cuizon reminded the remaining 733 that if they will operate without PA, they will be apprehended as colorum and they will be fined P120,000 per violation.
The vehicle will be impounded for three months and the owner cannot use it even for private use within this period.
Cuizon explained that LTFRB 7 was accepting applications for Uber and Grab until Sept. 7, but it stopped because of the decision to cease the issuance of PA’s.
He said that all those accepted applications, a total of 764, will be issued PA, which is valid for 45 days only.
Complaint
Cuizon said he was even surprised when he received a letter dated last Dec. 5 from Acting Director Editha Luzano of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) informing him that LTFRB 7 is the subject of complaint from an anonymous person through their Presidential Hotline 8888.
“Considering that a report on the progress of the said concern will be submitted to the Office of the President through our CSC Central Office, please inform this office on the action taken on the said concern or furnish this office with a copy of your action submitted to our central office within five days from receipt hereof,” said Luzano in her letter to Cuizon.
The anonymous Hotline 8888 caller alleged that LTFRB Cebu continue to apprehend Uber and Grab units.
The anonymous complainant also said that aside from spending so much for DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) and NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) clearances, they lost their livelihood because they were fined P120,000.
Cuizon said that no one is above the law. The apprehension is based on the order of President Rodrigo Duterte last July 25, 2016 to apprehend all colorum vehicles.
“There are 764 applicants and why are there only 31 who secured provisional authority?” said Cuizon, who complained last month that LTFRB personnel received death threats in relation to Uber and Grab.