By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has ordered the operators of 226 taxis and passenger buses to explain why their franchises should not be suspended or revoked after their units were found operating in dirty, poorly maintained and dilapidated condition during intensified enforcement operations in Metro Manila.
The show cause orders, issued for violations recorded in June and July, form part of the agency’s continuing campaign to improve the quality and safety of public transportation and ensure that commuters are provided clean and roadworthy public utility vehicles.
According to LTFRB Law Enforcement Division chief Atty. Sherwin Vizconde, the operators have been directed to justify why administrative sanctions should not be imposed for deploying units that failed to meet the agency’s standards on vehicle cleanliness and maintenance.
Of the total number of apprehensions, 178 taxis were flagged during inspections in Caloocan City and Quezon City, while 48 passenger buses were cited in enforcement operations conducted along NIA Road, Antipolo, Monumento and Mindanao Avenue.
The LTFRB said the inspections focused on the physical condition of public utility vehicles, including vehicle cleanliness, maintenance, and overall roadworthiness, in line with the government’s efforts to raise service standards across the transport sector.
LTFRB Chairperson Atty. Vigor Mendoza II warned that operators who continue to disregard the agency’s regulations risk losing the privilege to operate public utility vehicles.
He stressed that poorly maintained and unsanitary units have no place in the country’s public transportation system, adding that operators are expected to provide commuters with safe, clean and reliable transport services.
Mendoza said the agency remains committed to professionalizing the public transport industry by strictly enforcing regulations designed to protect the riding public and improve commuter experience.
The LTFRB has intensified roadside inspections in recent months as part of a broader effort to weed out substandard public utility vehicles and hold operators accountable for violations affecting passenger safety, comfort and public welfare.
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