Philippines
National
LTFRB takes up cudgels for bus conductors-turned-beggars; orders bus operators to pay them
LTFRB takes up cudgels for bus conductors-turned-beggars; orders bus operators to pay them
Land Transporation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin B. Delgra III has told bus operators to immediately pay their conductors who have not yet received their salaries.
The LTFRB chief made the call following reports that several bus conductors have been forced to beg for alms after a month of working without pay or aid from the government amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
In a recorded statement, Delgra said they sympathize with the bus conductors and thus called on their operators to immediately release the salaries of their employees.
"Ang pag-sweldo ng mga konduktor—kasi sila ay mga empleyado ng mga bus operators—ay nasa repsonsibillidad ng ating mag bus operators. Kaya humihiling po kami sa mga employer, sa mga bus operator, na kung pwede ay mabigyan sila ng sweldo (Paying the conductors' salaries is the responsibility of bus operators. We appeal to bus operators to please, release the salaries of their employees)," he said.
Delgra said that while public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers are the primary beneficiaries of the Department of Transportation's (DOTr) Service Contracting Program, other transport providers including conductors are also expected to benefit from it.
Some P5.5 billion in funding have been allotted for the program's implementation under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or the Bayanihan 2 law. Under the program, PUV drivers are assisted in coping with their everyday operational expenses such as fuel and "boundary".
"The LTFRB continues to provide payouts to our PUB drivers or transport providers under the Service Contracting Program. So far, more than P103 million has been distributed to PUB drivers and payrolls are still being processed for payment purposes," Delgra said in Filipino.
Meanwhile, Delgra promised to look into the situation of the concerned conductors and bus operators. Specifically, he will determine whether or not the conductors are included in the program or if the payout has already been distributed.
LTFRB STATEMENT 10 May 2021 LTFRB, NAKIKISIMPATYA SA ATING MGA KONDUKTOR NA HUMIHINGI NG TULONG SA PAMAHALAAN METRO MANILA – Ang Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) ay nakikisimpatya sa ating mga konduktor ng mga pampublikong sasakyan na, ayon sa report ng GMA-7, di umano ay nanghihingi ng limos sa kani-kanilang mga ruta ng Public Utility Buses (PUBs). Ito ang ilang paglilinaw ng ahensya: • Sa ilalim ng Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Republic Act 11494 o mas kilala bilang Bayanihan 2 law, ang tinatayang P5.5B na inilaan para sa Service Contracting Program ay nakatuon para sa mga drivers, at naimplementa sa koordinasyon ng mga operators o transport providers. • Pangalawa, ang mga konduktor na nakita sa report na nanghihingi ng limos ay empleyado ng mga bus operators. Pinapakiusapan namin ang mga bus operators na swelduhan ang mga naturang kundoktor na hindi pa nakakatanggap ng kanilang sweldo. • Panghuli, patuloy ang pagbibigay ng LTFRB ng payouts sa ating mga PUB drivers o transport providers sa ilalim ng Service Contracting Program. Sa ngayon, nasa Php 103,003,953.55 ang naipamahagi na payout sa mga driver ng PUB at tuloy tuloy pa ang pagprocess ng payrolls for purposes of payments. Bukod sa mga programa ng LTFRB na tumutulong sa mga driver at operator ng mga pampublikong sasakyan, nariyan din ang COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) na nagmamapahagi ng P5,000 cash assistance at nagbibigay ng trabaho sa mga nawalan ng hanapbuhay dahil sa nararanasang pandemya sa bansa. Noong nakaraang taon, inilunsad din ang Social Amelioration Program ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) na nagpamahagi rin ng ayuda sa mga apektado ng COVID-19 pandemic. Patuloy naman ang pagkilos ng ahensya upang makahanap ng paraan kung paano matutulungan ang mga konduktor na naapektuhan ang kabuhayan sa gitna ng pandemya. Regular na bisitahin ang LTFRB Official Facebook page para sa mga karagdagang impormasyon na ilalabas, patungkol sa Service Contracting Program sa mga susunod na araw. #LTFRB
Posted by Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board - LTFRB on Sunday, May 9, 2021
Apart from its programs for PUV drivers and operators, the LTFRB said there are other government assistance programs for the benefit of displaced workers in the transportation sector.
These include the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), wherein a one-time financial assistance of P5,000 is given to displaced workers.
In 2020, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also launched its Social Amelioration Program (SAP), which provided up to two tranches of cash aid worth P5,000 to P8,000 to low-income families affected by the health crisis.
"Patuloy naman ang pagkilos ng ahensya upang makahanap ng paraan kung paano matutulungan ang mga konduktor na naapektuhan ang kabuhayan sa gitna ng pandemya (The agency continues to find ways to help the conductors whose livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic)," the LTFRB added.