OVER 20 special permits for buses have already been released by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 in anticipation of the influx of passengers in the coming week.
This move is for passengers seeking rides home to their towns and cities to cast their votes in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on Oct. 30, 2023 and to celebrate Kalagkalag, which is the Cebuanos’ observance of All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2), according to Reynaldo Elnar, LTFRB 7 transportation development officer.
Special permits are issued to operators who hold a certificate of public covenience for trips outside their designated routes, Elnar said on Monday, Oct. 23.
Elnar said the special permits’ validity has been extended, now exceeding their typical four-day validity from previous years.
The LTFRB said in an advisory that the special permit will be valid from Oct. 20 to Nov. 6. This adjustment is in accordance with Board Resolution 065, Series of 2023, which modified the original validity period for special permits issued to public utility buses from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3.
Despite the LTFRB 7 issuing over 20 permits, Elnar said he expects more operators to request special permits in the coming days.
He said Ceres Liner, one of the country’s major bus operators, is scheduled to apply for special permits on either Tuesday, Oct. 24, or Wednesday, Oct. 25. The special permits that have been granted are for non-Ceres bus liners, Elnar said.
Unlike Manila’s requirement for special permit applicants to apply a week in advance, Elnar said the LTFRB 7 processes requests within a day.
Elnar warned operators against deploying buses without proper permits, commonly known as colorum buses.
He said they will strictly enforce bus apprehensions and penalties, which may include fines of up to P1 million.
The LTFRB 7 official said colorum buses will be subject to a minimum three-month seizure, in addition to other penalties that include the cancellation of their vehicle registration and certificate of public convenience.