LTFRB to phase out decrepit, aging PUBs

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will phase out public utility buses 15 years and older in a bid to modernize the country’s transportation sector.

The board promulgated Resolution No. 2013-10 on January 11, 2013 for the strict observance of the 15-year-age limit on public utility minibus, from date of manufacture of the subject vehicle instead of date of initial registration with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and also to uphold the Court of Appeal’s (CA) order on the phase out.

The program is part of the Department of Transportation and Communication’s (DOTC) “Modernization of Public Transport Service” initiative to ensure the safety of the commuting public.

“Since I took the chairmanship of the Board two years ago, my marching order was to find ways to modernize our transport system to make it safer for the commuters and at par with our neighboring Asian countries,” said LTFRB Chairman Atty. Winston Ginez.

He envisions a transport system with modern and roadworthy PUVs plying the national roads for the country, and hopes that it will help prevent pollution and make the public feel more safe and secure while commuting.

And while a group of mini bus opera- tors opposed the board’s policy and filed a petition to stop the implementation of the said order, the CA issued an order on Monday dismissing the petition of the transport groups.

In the seven- page CA resolution, the CA ruled that there is no compelling reason to issue a restraining order against the phase out order issued by the board.

“We hail the decision of the CA to uphold the phase out order thereby allowing us to pursue our modernization campaign to provide the public a reliable, safe and convenient transport system,” said Ginez.

Also in line with this, the board has ceased from confirming and allowing the extension of the certificates of public convenience (CPC) issued to minibuses which are already 15 years old.

The CA said that the petitioners failed to show that they would suffer grave and irreparable injury from the implementation of the order.

Ginez thanked the CA for supporting their commitment to provide safe and secure transport to the public by not allowing PUBs that are 15 years and older to ply the roads.

“Mahalaga sa amin ang kaligtasan ng publiko sa kanilang araw-araw na pagbibiyahe sakay ng mga PUBs patungo sa kanilang mga patutunguhan, (The safety of our riding public is important to us,” Ginez said.