LTFRB appeals to TNVS operators to reconsider ‘transport holiday’

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Friday appealed to some Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) operators to reconsider their plan to hold a nationwide “transport holiday.”

The government’s appeal has been raised for the TNVS operators to consider “the interest of the commuting public,” LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III said in a statement.

TNVS groups and the Defend Job Philippines labor group earlier said the plan is to hold a “TNVS Transport Holiday” on Monday, July 8.

The TNVS operators will temporarily go offline from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on that day.

TNVS Community, an alliance of TNVS drivers and operators, on Thursday said the strike is in protest of the slow processing of application at the LTFRB, as well as the ban on hatchback vehicles as TNVS.

“We ask TNVS operators to be more circumspect in their plan to hold a transport holiday that will affect the commuting public,” Delgra said.

“Instead, we urge them to bring their legitimate concerns to LTFRB, in dialogue, so that the Board can address them and not hold the riding public hostage by their planned disruptive action. The LTFRB welcomes constructive criticisms and feedbacks from all stakeholders,” he said.

The LTFRB appeal echoed that of Grab’s, which urged their TNVS partners to cancel the planned strike as it would burden many passengers.

“The LTFRB is committed to ensuring the safety and convenience of the commuting public, thus the need for the Board to come up with regulations on the legal and proper operation of TNVS and to ensure that TNCs field compliant units,” Delgra said. —Ted Cordero/VDS, GMA News