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Colurum vans soon to have
LTFRB franchise
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COLORUM
VANS PROBLEM. The problem on getting franchises of
vans for hire was given
solution during a meeting called by Rep. Edgar Chatto
with LTFRB Regional Director Romulo Bernardes
during a meeting last Friday at JJs Seafood Village. In
attendance are Provincial Tourism Council Chair
Peter Dejaresco and Prov'l BM Ae Damalerio, chair, committee
on public utilities. Foto DANNY REYES |
Colurum
vans for hire will soon have tourist franchise to legalize
their operation which is vital to tourism, a major accelerator
of Bohol economy.
Early
qualified applicants may have their franchises issued in time
of the national Regional Managers Conference (RMAC) of the
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)
in Panglao on May 8.
LTFRB
Regional Director Romulo Bernardes assured the franchising
of tourist transport (TT) vans in a consultative meeting with
Rep. Edgar Chatto, Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) chairman
Peter Dejaresco, Land Transportation Office (LTO) - Tagbilaran
Registrar Joel Maluloy-on, Provincial Board Member Alfonso
Damalerio II and heads of concerned transport groups at the
JJ's Seafood Village here Thursday.
The
franchise conference was also attended by lawyer Douglas Sanson,
LTFRB hearing officer for Bohol, and LTFRB Transport Development
Officer Rey Elnar.
Chatto,
chairman of the tourism committee in Congress and who facilitated
the meeting, praised LTFRB's positive response as it will
upgrade the transport sector in the local tourism industry.
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He
said it will also legitimize the livelihood of the said
sector after LTFRB declared a moratorium in the issuance
of V-hire franchise.
Almost
70% of vans for-hire, including those classified as
shuttle units, are not LTRFB-franchised, according to
Damalerio, chairman of the public utilities committee
of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
City
Councilor Nerio Zamora II, chairman of the public utilities
committee of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, was in the
meeting, too.
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Franchising
was then opened but many operators just did not mind until
the reglamentary period elapsed and the moratorium on franchise
issuance was imposed.
Now,
Bernardes said, one franchise is entitled to an initial of
only three units.
Thus, owners with only one van each have to agree among themselves
on who should stand to be the registered franchisee.
Franchise
can be granted in the name of a transport organization as
registered cooperative.
Bohol's
V-hire and tourist transport groups include the Airport Drivers
Operators Tourist Transport (ADOTAS), Association of Bohol
United Transport Services, Inc. (ABUTSI), Bohol Transport
Services Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BISMPC), Jagna V-Hire
Owners Drivers Association (JAVODA), Bohol Interior Bound
V-Hire Operators Drivers Association (BIBVITODA) and Bohol
Transport Operators Association Inc. (BOTROPASSI).
The
LTFRB will conduct a route measurement capacity (RMC) survey
prior to the issuance of any TT (tourist transport) franchise.
A
vehicle is at least five-year-old model while the franchise,
once issued, is effective in five years.
A
much older model can be granted TT franchise if it is still
"fit for tourist ride" as endorsed by the Department
of Tourism (DOT), according to the LTFRB regional director.
While
in the meeting, Chatto phoned DOT Regiona Director Dawnie
Roa who replied with "much concern to endorse,"
granting that the vehicle is "roadworthy and presentable."
Vans
with existing regular (not tourist transport or TT) franchise
and the colurum units that cannot pass the LTFRB-DOT rules
will be converted into "garage-terminal (GT) express
units."
They
will operate on fixed routes unlike those with tourist transport
franchise which can travel anywhere in Bohol.
The
vans for-hire, even if they have existing regular franchise,
will be eventually phased out so that they should be franchised
as TT units or converted into GT express until this June 30.
(Ven rebo Arigo)
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