Transport group seeks help from Duterte, Bong Go

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – The Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) community here asked help from President Rodrigo R. Duterte and to Senator Bong Go in hastening their application or renewal of their franchises with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

The group of 44 ride-hailing drivers and peers coursed their concerns in a letter to Department of Transportation (DOTr) Sec. Arthur Tugade and Usec. Mark De Guzman for Road Transport Infrastructure.

The TNVS community said they have waited so long for LTRFB to act on their application which will legitimize their operation in the city.

In a press conference here on July 5, 2019, Vincent Errol Dreyfus led the Bacolod TNVS drivers, peers, and operators in reiterating their call for help to President Duterte and to Senator Go who have the power over LTFRB.

Dreyfus said his Certificate of Public Conveyance (CPC) from LTFRB-6 in Western Visayas expired last year. He filed his renewal papers with the agency but it remains pending to this day.

Bacolod City is the pioneer city in the Philippines served by TNVS.

Local commuters here patronized TNVS as their means of mobility, being the safest, affordable and newer mode of transportation.

Dreyfuss and other TNVS drivers and peers joined the TNVS chapters in Manila, Cebu, Pampanga and various TNVS alliances who expressed their sentiments over LTFRB’s slow action on their franchises.

Tugade and de Guzman wrote Pres. Duterte to convey their problems with LTFRB.

“It is high time that we voice out our plight and worries against LTFRB to the President and also to Senator Bong Go whom we have supported. We don’t know why LTFRB gave us a hard time in processing our franchise, which is necessary for us in obtaining other regulatory permits within our area of operation. Only the President and Senator Bong Go can help us solve our woes with LTFRB. The ease of doing business is somewhat non-existent in the realms of the LTFRB,” Dreyfus said.

Dreyfus also called on fellow TNVS drivers to support their call.

“We, the Bacolod TNVS 44 are rallying with our fellow TNVS drivers, peers and operators for LTFRB to act now on our franchises. So many of us rely on livelihood in the TNVS operation, we have families to feed. Allow us to operate with our franchise. We are also requesting LTFRB to grant us a cap of 500 slots for the Bacolod TNVS community,” he added.