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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider LTFRB: Failure of provincial buses to operate in Pampanga over window hours scheme reeks of sabotage

LTFRB: Failure of provincial buses to operate in Pampanga over window hours scheme reeks of sabotage

Published Apr 24, 2022 12:12 pm

The failure of some provincial bus operators to deploy their units to ferry passengers on April 20 in Pampanga was a clear case of sabotage, the Land Transporration Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Sunday, April 24.

Six provincial buses were issued with a show-cause order on April 22 to explain why their buses did not operate on April 20. The incident caused thousands of commuters to be stranded in at least six terminals in Pampanga.

"The LTFRB does not condone this blatant violation committed by provincial bus operators on their permit to operate. This is the reason why we issued a show cause order," the LTFRB said in a statement.

Issued with the show cause order were the Victory Liner Inc., Genesis Transport Services Inc., Bataan Transit Bus Co., Inc., Five Star Bus Inc., First North Luzon Transit Inc., and Maria de Leon.

The LTFRB Central Luzon regional office said the bus operators appeared to have refused to transport passengers on April 20 amid the issue surrounding the 10 p.m.- 5 a.m. window hours being implemented by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Based on the policy, provincial buses are only allowed to enter Metro Manila roads within the window hours in a move to address the traffic woes in the metropolis.

The bus operators were reportedly firm in its interpretation of the policy that they could only operate within that time frame.

But the MMDA earlier clarified that this was not how explained it to the bus operators. It said bus operators can still operate but have to unload and load passengers at the North Luzon Express Terminal in Bocaue, Bulacan for those coming from northern Luzon and at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) for those coming from southern Luzon.

The policy also states that the bus terminals of provincial operators should not operate outside the window hours and the LTFRB said provincial buses are even allowed to operate at the Araneta Bus Port via Mindanao Avenue-Congressional Avenue Extension-Katipunan Avenue.

"Although these provincial bus operators have the mandate to operate, they did not follow it and this resulted in thousands of passengers being stranded in Pampanga," the LTFRB said in a statement.

The LTFRB said the intention of the bus operators was apparently to protest the window hours policy, and as a result, some of the passengers got mad at the MMDA and the LTFRB.

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