THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-Davao warned public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers of a possible revocation of their permits if they continue to not heed the implementation of health protocols in their units.
LTFRB-Davao Director Nonito Llanos III told VoxPop Davao in a phone interview that they had received complaints among passengers wherein health protocols, such as overloading of passengers, not placing barriers between the driver and passengers, among others, are not properly observed.
Llanos said their team, during a surprise inspection on August 23, apprehended eight buses for not enforcing health protocols. Among the violations that were noted is the overloading of passengers, resulting in the non-compliance of physical distancing.
The official said they were also able to apprehend public utility jeepneys (PUJs) during peak hours.
The LTFRB official said drivers reasoned that some passengers were requesting the drivers to allow them on board despite not having any more available seats. Passengers are asking to be accommodated due to the limited operating buses in the area.
He admitted that some PUV drivers, despite having secured a special permit to operate, opted not to operate due to the limited number of passengers on the ground.
Some drivers, he said, were going beyond their allowable passenger limit due to more persons getting their vaccination.
"Naa siguro misconception sa vaccination, kay ato tan-aw ani because of the higher percentage nga nagpabakuna na mga tao sa region, even drivers natagaan sila og higayon na mabakunahan, mao sigurong mu-relax sila (There has been a misconception of the vaccination. Because they saw a higher percentage of being vaccinated in the region, even drivers were being prioritized in the vaccination. This may be the reason why some of them were relaxed in implementing the health protocols)," Llanos said.
Llanos said erring drivers and operators who will violate the health protocol will be slapped with a P5,000 penalty for the first offense.
"Dili ni siya major violation na pwede tanggalan dayon sila og prangkisa (This is not a major violation wherein their franchises will be revoked at one strike), but if they will do it in many offenses, that is a ground of revocation of their franchises," he said.
While he said they do not have data on the number of revoked franchises, he said they will not hesitate to revoke their permit to operate if they will be found out of not observing these protocols.
Due to the limited number of enforcers on the ground, Llanos admitted that they are struggling to monitor the compliance of PUVs on the ground.
He reminded drivers and passengers to do their share in implementing health protocols to curb the transmission of the virus.
"This is not only the obligation of drivers and operators, but this is also the obligation of the community to follow the health protocols imposed by our government," Llanos said.
Despite not being mandatory, the official urged drivers, operators, and other allied transport workers to have themselves vaccinated, for their own protection and their passengers.
