Hopes to surpass last year’s accomplishments
PALO, Leyte- The regional head of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-8), Gualberto Gualberto, said that they were happy of their last year’s performance.
And this early, they are confident that they could surpass their 2018 performance for this year, the LTFRB-8 chief said.
Gualberto said that last year, they were able to collect about P3 million out of the fines and penalties their office collected from erring bus and vehicle operators and owners.
He also said that because of their strict implementation of their mandate on apprehending abusive and erring bus drivers, 55 vehicles were apprehended, one of the biggest apprehensions made by the regional LTFRB.
“With this kind of performance, we are confident that we can surpass our records, to include our revenue collection,” Gualberto said.
He also said that LTFRB under his watch is also giving focus on their agency’s modernization program on public transport system.
And part of the modernization program is the mandatory requirement for all public utility vehicles to install free Wifi, GPS (global positioning system), and most importantly, CCTVs (closed circuit televisions).
Failure of the owners to follow this requirement, among others, would mean rejection or cancellation of their franchise, Gualberto said.
Meantime, the LTFRB regional director said that they are also addressing the concern of the residents at the resettlement sites in Tacloban City on the shortage of public utility vehicles.
Gualberto said that once they receive an order from their central office, they would immediately increase the number of public utility buses or jeeps in going to the site where families who lost their houses due to super typhoon ‘Yolanda’were resettled by the government.
At present, there are about 100 vehicles plying in the area.
About 30 more units could be added to help address the need of the families in the area, Gualberto said. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
