FILE: A school shuttle service (UNTV News)
Manila, Philippines – The Land Transportation Franchising And Regulatory Board will not allow old units of school service starting this school year.
Because of this, school bus operators are complaining that phasing out of school bus services that are being used for 15 years or more will result in lesser income for them.
The National Alliance of School Service Association of the Philippines or NASSAP said, 90% or more than 30,000 of their members nationwide may not be able to operate this coming June.
NASSAP said that they are not against the modernization program of the LTFRB, they appeal for a moratorium because majority of their members own 15 year old and above vehicles.
NASSAP Sec.Gen Leo Malit appealed, “Chairman Ginez pagbigyan mo kami ng 2 years para kami makapag palit ng sasakyan. Huwag mo kaming turuan na magbenta ng kalabaw at saka mangutang, wala kami mauutangan.”
(Chairman Ginez, please give us 2 years to buy a new vehicle. Don’t force us to sell our properties and borrow cash)
There will be more than 600,000 students and 60,000 drivers who will be affected by the implementation of the phase out.
Zenaida, a school bus operator said her vehicle is still in good condition. She only earns 25k monthly, and this is not enough to sustain their daily needs and amortization for a new vehicle.
“You’ll pay P10,000 for the driver, P5,000for the assistant, plus for the gasoline and P15,000 for the amortization. Is that enough?”
But the LTFRB is firm that they will start to apprehend violators next month.
LTFRB pointed out that since 2013, they had been reminding the operators that they must replace their old school service units.
School bus operators could not also claim that they don’t have the capacity to purchase new vehicles.
But LTFRB Chairman Atty. Winston Ginez said, “The first requirement to be a public service operator is you must be financially capable.”
Meanwhile, LTFRB will not regulate the service fees the operators collect for school bus to give consideration on their expenses.
According to ginez, “dahil iba iba ang sitwasyon ng eskwelahan at estudyante yung class or economic standing ng magulang at estudyante at klase ng service na provided ng operator, minabuti namin na ipaubaya ito sa regulasyon ng paguusap ng mga eskwelahan.”
(because of the different situation or economic standing of students and schools, we’ve decided to let the school and school bus operators regulate it)
School bus operators, however, will stage a protest caravan tomorrow, at the LTFRB office.
(MON JOCSON/UNTV News)