NO TO MORE TAXICABS. The city government is opposing the implementation of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)’s order issuing 200 units of taxi for the city aside from the revival of 200 more abandoned units which will put 400 additional vehicles on the streets. The opposition is based on the city’s claim that it will further swell the traffic problem in Baguio. (Photo courtesy of PIA-CAR)
BAGUIO CITY-- The city council here has opposed the issuance by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) of an additional 400 taxi franchises, noting the move would further worsen the traffic condition.
On August 5, the city council passed a resolution which says “the additional taxi units will definitely swell the existing traffic and parking problem of the city considering that the Memorandum entails an increase in the number of vehicles, hence the opposition.”
The resolution was authored by all councilors, including vice mayor Faustino Olowan.
In the resolution, the council said, “the existing taxi units can service our city even with the increase in population, growth in tourism, cancellation and expiration and abandonment of Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC).”
"The alleged perceived increase in the demand for taxi service in the city can never be attributed to the shortage and decrease in the number of taxi units but to the heavy traffic brought about by the voluminous number of vehicles plying the city roads, the narrow condition of the city roads and lack of sufficient parking," the resolution read.
The LTFRB central office issued Memorandum Circular 2019-016 which orders the “opening of additional taxi franchises for Baguio city, La Trinidad Benguet to any point in Cordillera Administrative Region and Butuan city and to any point in CARAGA region”.
The memo circular was based on a survey by the LTFRB in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Wednesday also opposed the issuance of more taxi franchises, claiming it was issued without consulting the local government.
He said the Board has revived the 200 “dead” franchises as well as issued 200 new ones, placing an additional 400 taxi units on the city’s already congested streets.
"We have earlier already talked to them [LTFRB] about the 200 franchises...which they said they will look into but it is disappointing to note that even while we were talking to them, they have also approved the issuance of 200 new franchises,” Magalong said.
The mayor said they will bring the matter to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and oppose the implementation of the order issuing the franchises. (PNA)
