No more legal impediment to issuing taxi receipts - LTFRB

MANILA, Philippines - There is no longer any legal impediment to a circular by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) requiring taxi cabs to issue receipts. In a telephone interview, LTFRB Chairman Thompson C. Lantion said, however, that the issuance of taxi receipts will remain optional. "We have been gradually implementing it but it is optional. They can do it on their own, those who can afford can buy the machine or they can issue receipts manually," Mr. Lantion said in a phone interview. Philippine National Taxi Operators Association President Jesus "Bong" C. Suntay said taxi operators do not object to the issuance of receipts. But in a case elevated to the Court of Appeals (CA), the taxi operators questioned the LTFRB circular’s requirement to issue receipts only from machines issued by the regulator’s accredited suppliers. "We were required to buy machines costing P21,000. If they just want us to issue receipt, why can’t we get it from other suppliers?" Mr. Suntay said in a telephone interview. Taxi operators also questioned the purpose of the receipt issuance. According to the LTFRB, the receipts will help the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) realize additional revenue. "We already had a dialogue with the BIR. Even if we issue receipts, it can’t be used for taxing us because the earnings of an operator is based on boundary. I believe the BIR finally understood that," Mr. Suntay said. The taxi operators’ case was elevated to the Supreme Court. The high tribunal reportedly upheld the CA’s decision which affirmed the LTFRB’s authority. Mr. Lantion said there will be no new directive to issue receipts. The LTFRB is calling on taxi operators to comply since the scheme is also a form of protecting the passengers. - Anna Barbara L. Lorenzo, BusinessWorld