Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya—The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board regional office has warned bus operators refusing to convey passengers in Cagayan Valley and demanding additional fares from the public that they face fines of up to P15,000 or the cancellation of their franchises.
Nasrudin Talipasan, LTFRB Region 2 Director, said these practices are in gross violation of a joint administrative order issued by the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, and LTFRB.
“We are encouraging you to file complaints against bus companies who ask for additional fare or refuse to convey commuters travelling from Manila to Nueva Vizcaya. You can file this to our LTFRB provincial office,” Talipasan told the public.
Meanwhile, LTFRB and the provincial government here will put up a temporary bus terminal to cater to Manila-bound passengers.
Gov. Carlos Padilla said the Pasalubong Center, along the national highway in barangay Busilac, has been agreed to by both the LTFRB and provincial government as the bus terminal area.
“This is just a temporary area for our bus terminal while the franchise application of the Vizcaya Liner bus for Nueva Vizcaya-Manila route is being processed by the LTFRB,” he said.
Talipasan made the statement during a recent consultation with provincial government officials regarding numerous complaints on the alleged discriminatory actions of bus drivers and conductors.
The alleged acts of bus drivers and operators plying the national highway here also drew the attention of Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Luisa Cuaresma, who has filed a bill seeking for an investigation of the allegations in Congress.
Cuaresma said she did this to facilitate the resolution of the allegations and come up with remedies to prevent a repeat of the incidents.
The identification of a temporary bus terminal came up during a recent consultation by provincial, transport sector and LTFRB officials to address the alleged discrimination of Manila-bound passengers in the province by several bus operators in Cagayan Valley.
Talipasan also vowed to ask the management of Florida Bus, Victory Liner, and Five Star Buses to assign their two buses each to cater to Novo Vizcayano passengers.
Talipasan and Padilla vowed to put up the provisional bus terminal in barangay Busilac within a month.