LTFRB ready to issue more special permits amid Holy Week exodus, monitors bus terminals
Special permits would be immediately issued if there would be a shortage of passenger buses in various terminals across the country, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Wednesday, March 27.
LTFRB chairman Teofilo Guadiz III said they are continuously monitoring the status of all bus terminals across the country, especially in Metro Manila and urban areas, and this is done on a 24-hour basis until Easter Sunday.
“We do have a 24-hour watching in the terminals, the moment there would be a shortage of buses, we would immediately issue the special permit. This is part of the mandate of the LTFRB, to monitor the terminals,” said Guadiz.
“We have a report every six hours on the monitoring of the terminals,” he added.
So far, the LTFRB has already issued 1,050 special permits amid the expected influx of passengers who would take advantage of the long Holy Week break.
The special permits, he said, will be valid until the second week of April.
“Giving special permits to public utility vehicles at a time when more public transportation is needed, gives a semblance of legitimacy for the public utility vehicles (PUVs) to ply the routes,” said Guadiz.
“We have to give them a semblance of legitimacy, we have to issue a special permit so that when something happens, the affected passengers can expect insurance from the company,” he added.