LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal council favourably endorsed to the Land Transportation Franchising Regulator Board (LTFRB) in the Cordillera the application of the Highlanders Taxi and Tourist Transport Service Cooperative (HTTTSC) for 50 units taxi franchises for the municipality to any pint in the Cordillera.
Earlier, Arturo Evasco, chairman of the Board of the aforesaid transport cooperative, requested for the endorsement of their application and eventual approval of 50 units of taxi franchise with the LTFRB.
The application of the cooperative for endorsement was in compliance to LTFRB Memorandum Circular No. 2019-016 which mandates the opening of additional taxi franchises for Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet to any point in the Cordillera and in Butuan City and to any point in CARAGA region.
On February 27, 2018, the municipal council also approved Resolution No. 43-2018 requesting the LTFRB to open the acceptance of applications for the issuance of certificates of public convenience for the operation of taxi units and transportation network vehicle service (TNVS) units in the municipality.
The municipal council approved the latest endorsement upon the recommendation of the Committee on Public Utilities to augment the needs of the riding public at any time , particularly during the wee hours due to the increasing population needing transportation services; to address the need of the riding public, particularly in the remote areas of the municipality and other nearby municipalities and to provide additional livelihood to members through self-help or self-employment as an engine for economic growth and poverty alleviation.
The municipal council will subsequently transmit the latest approved resolution to the LTFRB-CAR for its favourable action on the pending application of the transport cooperative.
The 50 units that will be covered by the taxi franchise to be issued by the LTFRB is part of the 200 taxi units that had been opened for the issuance of franchise by the LTFRB pursuant to the aforesaid memorandum and the consolidation of franchises mandated under the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program.
Under existing laws, rules and regulations, the 200 taxi units that had been opened for the issuance of franchises will only be granted to duly registered transport cooperatives that have already existing units of vehicles that are compliant to current standards wherein each cooperative can apply for a maximum of 50 units.
However, a separate transport cooperative applied for the issuance of the mandated franchises for the whole 200 units but the same it did not prove to the LTFRB that it already physically possess the aforesaid number of units thus the regulatory body will subject the same for investigation and validation.
The three other transport cooperatives in Baguio and La Trinidad that are interested to file their application for the issuance of franchises for their available units but the inability of the LTFRB to rule on the previous application is stalling them from pursuing their application and waiting final decision of the regulatory body on the first applicant.
By HENT
