After Uber, lawmakers ask LTFRB to penalize erring taxi operators

AFTER slapping ride-hailing application Uber with a stunning penalty of P190 million for its alleged violations, lawmakers are now asking the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to go after the taxi industry and the “substandard” service of its drivers.

In separate statements, two partylist representatives asked the regulatory body to fully implement and give teeth to its “Oplan Isnabero” campaign targeting taxi drivers caught snubbing hailing passengers.

"Sige, ipatupad mo iyang Oplan Isnabero araw-araw. Huwag mo utusan ang madla na ipatupad ang batas. Trabaho mo iyan…[A]ng ipasa mo sa madla ang dapat ay trabaho ng LTFRB ay mali," Acts OFW Partylist Representative John Bertiz said.

LTFRB chief Martin Delgra last week was quoted in a television interview as saying that passengers “should assert their rights” against selective cab drivers and demand to be serviced.

"[K]apag may ganung klaseng situation, assert your right. Bago kayo magreklamo sa LTFRB, assert your right as passengers," Delgra said.

Aside from that, Bertiz added that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) arriving in the country are the usual victims of taxi drivers stationed in the airports, often demanding from them exorbitant fees.

"Ang mga constituents kong OFW Balikbayan ang paboritong biktima ng mga abusadong taxi driver. Gawin mo ang trabaho mo Chairman Delgra. Trabaho lang, walang personalan," Bertiz added.

For her part, Bagong Henerasyon Partylist Representative Bernadette Herrera-Dy said the solution to the low-quality service from taxi drivers and taxi operators is the imposition and enforcement of service quality and safety standards.

But Herrera-Dy said LTFRB should first lay down its so called standards.

"Where are those standards? Does the LTFRB even have such standards promulgated or in place?" she said.

The lawmaker likewise questioned the capacity of LTFRB to roll out Oplan Isnabero, considering its manpower and lack of police powers.

"Now LTFRB say they will implement Oplan Isnabero on a daily basis. How? Do they even have the manpower? Where will LTFRB deploy their men? How will LTFRB deploy," Herrera-Dy asked.

Meanwhile, one lawmaker is asking several government agencies to "closely monitor" the money trail of Uber’s P190 million penalty, and make sure it doesn’t “fall into the pockets” of any LTFRB officials.

"We are not accusing the LTFRB of graft on the handling of the P190 million fine. We simply want to make sure none of them in the LTFRB or anyone else in government is tempted to or does anything to siphon away any part of that huge amount," Assistant Minority Leader Neil Abayon said.

Abayon wants the Commission on Audit, Department of Finance, and Bureau of Treasury to "keep an eye" on the money.

"[We need to] make sure it is safeguarded, that the government accounting and auditing rules on administrative fines is strictly followed, and that the fine is spent properly on programs and projects that benefit the riding public," Abayon said.

Uber has resumed its operations Tuesday after paying the fine. It was suspended by LTFRB for defying its moratorium on accepting and activating applications of drivers. (SunStar Philippines)

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