BUS companies Vallacar Transit Incorporated and Sugbo have applied for special permits to offer Peak Hours Augmentation Bus Service (PHABS) as of Monday, February 18.
Vallacar will use four units for the service while Sugbo will have three units.
Cattleya Acaylar, regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulator Board (LTFRB) in Davao, said in an interview with Sunstar Davao that their office has received a board resolution allowing her to authorize the special permits of these units.
"Nag ask ko ni chairman kay lahi man gud na sila nga region, sa Cebu ug Bacolod man gud ang existing units...pero i-authorize nalang ko nila kay para dili na maglisod ang mga operators na mu-file sila dinhi na muagi sa Maynila, so para diresto nalang in the exigency of service (The board will authorize our office so the operators of these buses will have no difficulty as there is already an urgent need in the city)," Acaylar added.
Acaylar said the special permit for seven bus units will be issued Tuesday, February 19.
However, she said they are still waiting for other bus operators to apply since there are 20 units needed under Memorandum Circular 2019-009.
She added that they will issue special permits that bus applicants can travel in both areas under the condition written under the memorandum.
Meanwhile, PHABS is expected to commence anytime this week, City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) Chief Dionisio Abude said.
“Anytime this week, pwede na maka-deploy og bus kay atong opisina naka-install naman ug mga signages ug mga bus stops didto sa mga identified bus stops. (We can deploy the buses anytime this week because our office has already installed the signages and the bus stops)”, he said in an interview with the reporters Monday.
Abude added that buses are expected to stay for maximum of three minutes at the dropping points and the fare is the same as other buses’ minimum fare, P10.
However, Acaylar said PHABS fare matrix will be released today. (Randie Comilang with April Grace Asgapo and Shaira Mae Panilag, UM Interns)