Taxi operators have 'til Feb 09 to install receipt equipment

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is giving taxi operators until February 2009 to install receipt-issuing equipment on their cabs. LTFRB spokesman Leandro "Leddy" Tantoco said Wednesday this is part of their gradual installation scheme for taxis to issue receipts to passengers. "Binibigyan natin ng panahon. Sa loob siguro ng 30 days after January, di gaano kabigatan ipatupad (We'll give them enough time. Tentatively we have set the deadline at 30 days after January. That should be enough leeway)," Tantoco said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said the receipts should include the date and time of travel, and the plate number of the taxi. The machines should be able to issue tape receipts, he said. But Tantoco said the LTFRB will actually start implementing the receipt issuing in January 2009. The bottom line for taxi firms will be to have their receipt-issuing equipment ready when the LTFRB inspects their units, he said. "Bibigyan natin ng pagkakataon sa gradual implementation ... Upon inspection sa ating tanggapan kailangang may nakakabit na metered receipts (We will give them enough time for gradual implementation. But they should be ready when we inspect them)," he said. - GMANews.TV