Decorum on Colorum: The Passenger Vans in Occidental Mindoro, Part 2

Contrary to reports, it is not true that the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board or LTFRB is yet to receive any applications for franchise from van operators operating in the whole province now and in the past few years. The application of a certain van transport group had been processed since 2014, as I have stated in my previous blog entry. Unless if the LTFRB already considered all the applications null and void.

It appears that the LTFRB is painting a wrong picture here and some officials easily believe them.

As early as January 21, 2014, Mayor Eduardo B. Gadiano wrote to Atty. Wilson M. Gines, chair of the LTFRB, thru Atty. Roberto D. Peig, director for Region IV. In the letter, Gadiano endorses the franchise application of Mindoro Aircon Van Transport Cooperative, Inc. (MATSCOOP) to operate via San Jose, Occidental Mindoro to Abra de Ilog Port. Also in August 5, 2014, Gov. Mario Gene J. Mendiola made the same endorsement to same authorities and bearing the same prayer.

Both Gadiano and Mendiola cited the benefits of immediate release of the request for franchise of said cooperative, saying that it would contribute largely to progress and development of the province. Despite of this reality, the LTFRB then turned down the request. In the letter dated 19 December 2014, Sherielysse R. Bonifacio, DOTr’s assistant secretary for planning and finance said that “the proposed route of operation is currently served by existing transport services.” Apparently the mentioned “existing transport services” are the bus companies operating in Occidental Mindoro and one of them is Dimple Star Transport. The LTFRB seemingly has a moratorium issuing such franchise then. I just do not know.

As of this moment, only buses are insufficiently catering the needs of the commuters all over the province. With the massive crackdown against colorum vans, it is the general public that suffers the most. There are also reports of some negligence of bus companies coming from passengers especially those who are taking the Manila-OCM route and vice-versa. 

The MATSCOOP was issued by a Certificate of Accreditation by DOTC’s Office of Transport Cooperatives pursuant to Board Resolution No. 2013-09-04. MATSCO was represented by Mr. Camberlen F. Jimenez, a resident of Mamburao where anyone could fact-check the all the data I have presented here.

Not only that, seriously responding to the problem, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan headed by Vice-Governor Peter J. Alfaro approved Resolution No. 191, S. 2014, which is authored by SP Antonio A. Rebong, Jr., chair of the transportation and communication committee of the provincial board, asking for the same plea before the LTFRB. In short, there are transport groups, specifically passenger vans, who had been into intent of getting their franchise. Unless of course if the LTFRB already dumped all their previous requests.

The LTFRB and the concerned LGUs must hurry the tedious processes of finalizing the province’s Public Transport Route Plan (PTRP) and the consequent application (or re-application?) of all the public utility vehicles operating in the province as per the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines of the DOTr or DO 2017-011. 

In outright believing that there are no existing application for franchising, we are killing all our hopes for an inclusive, responsive and progressive transport industry in our province along with other economic gains the industry could bring to us. The solution must be win-win. Anything less is unacceptable! 

Allow me to reiterate what I have said in my previous blog entry, aside from chasing or running against colorum vans in my province, our local leaders must help these transport organizations in cutting down the fees for transport franchises and speed up its application process.

There are applications, believe me. But that depends on how they look at them now. I am a commuter, by the way ...

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