LTFRB blames reenacted budget for delay in processing of TNVS permits

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has blamed the reenacted budget for the delay in the processing of permits for Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS).

"At the start of 2019, the agency had to lay off 50% of its job orders assigned to the processing of applications for Provisional Authority due to the re-enacted national budget," LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra III said during a dialogue with TNVS operators in Quezon City on Tuesday.

The LTFRB chief said the problem stemmed from the opening of 20,000 new slots for TNVS applications last December, which resulted in an influx of applicants.

The agency did not anticipate that there will be a reenacted budget and that it needed to lay off several personnel.

"The lack of personnel was finally addressed... following the approval of the budget. Hence, there will be a catch-up plan," Delgra said.

To further address the issue of pending decisions on several TNVS applications, the LTFRB will process 1,000 TNVS franchise applicants per day  for verification and stamping of Temporary Authority.

Delgra said the LTFRB will dedicate two Saturdays every month for follow-ups on application transactions.

"To address the huge volume of applications scheduled for hearing, the agency beginning on the third week of July, will add hearing dates on TNVS applications three to four times a week," he said.

Those who are for verification and stamping are the following:

- Applicants who filed their applications from January – May 2019 (with 2019 Case Number)
- Those who filed for Motion for Extension of Provisional Authority (PA) from January – May 2019

"For applicants whose applications were filed in June 2019, stamping will begin on July 23 onward, from Tuesday to Friday," the LTFRB said in a separate advisory.

"We will process applications on a first come first served basis," it said.

On the issue of "bank conformity" requirement for those who loaned with banks to get a vehicle to be used for TNVS, Delgra said the LTFRB will coordinate closely with the banks.

"If there’s something that we can do to address this issue on bank conformity, perhaps we can appeal to the LTFRB to relax its rule on bank conformity. If you allow a driver to have a provisional authority, in the mean time, you relax the rules on bank conformity so that this will not be used as a grounds for dismissal of a petition," Anti-Red Tape Authority Director General Ernesto Perez said.

"Chairman Delgra mentioned earlier that he will appeal to the banks, but we all know the LTFRB has no regulatory power over the bank," Perez said.

Delgra, for his part, said the issue needs to be tackled closely.

"Kailangan natin pag-usapan… Rest assured that we will address this," the LTFRB chairman said. —LDF, GMA News