LTO slammed for apprehending service vans for BPOs

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – The Land Transportation Office in Western Visayas (LTO-6) earned  the ire of the public here after they started apprehending the service vehicles hired by Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies to shuttle employees during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period.

LTO-6 Operations Division Chief Atty. Allan Sacramento explained that the BPO companies must secure a temporary permit from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) as the vehicles hired by the companies can be classified as colorum or illegal.

During LTO’s surprise operation in Bacolod City on Wednesday, several vans were apprehended and impounded with a reported P200,000 fine.

Because of the operations, hundreds of BPO employees were forced to walk home Wednesday and some of them were stranded due to the lack of transportation.

Many social media users protested the LTO’s actions and the matter eventually reached city officials and representatives from the city’s BPO industry.

Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran made a strong reaction pointing out to the LTO, that “how can a rented van become a colorum when they do not cater to the general public.”

“Are you gonna let the BPO employees walk? [The LTO] needs to explain that to my office,” Familiaran said.

The vice mayor said that LTO-6 enforcers who carried out the apprehensions violated the city’s quarantine protocol.

It was discovered that the LTO officials originated from Iloilo province, where there are still reported cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.

Familiaran said the enforcers who arrived in the city are “obliged” to undergo 14-day quarantine.

Lawyer Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, who also advocates for the BPO industry in the city, also criticized the LTO for hampering the official transportation of BPO employees.

Sigue pointed out even at a 50 percent work from home ratio for BPOs under the quarantine, Bacolod City will still have over 10,000 to 15,000 workers who need to report for work with companies providing shuttles.

Bacolod City Rep. Greg Gasataya talked with LTO-6 Regional Director Eric Tabaldo and it was agreed that the shuttle services will resume, although they are still requiring van operators to secure a special permit from the LTFRB.

Gasataya also talked with LTFRB-6 Director Richard Osmeña, who stated they will issue special permits within 24 hours of applying online.

An emergency meeting was also held at the Bacolod City Government Center attended by LTO officials, representatives from the BPO companies, and city officials in order to discuss the issue.