25 bus companies with no proper terminal facilities given show cause orders —DOTr

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) have issued show cause orders against 25 bus companies that have no proper facilities in their terminals, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said on Monday.

Dizon disclosed this a week after he conducted an inspection in several bus terminals which he flagged for their dirty and small washrooms, makeshift sheds made from tarpaulin which served as waiting area for passengers, and the lack of cooling fans, among others.

“Para sa akin po, hindi katanggap-tanggap ito kaya po nag-issue ang LTFRB at ang LTO ng show cause order sa 25 bus companies. Pinatawag ko po lahat ng 25 na ‘yan this week at sila po ay talagang kailangang mag-comply sa standards ng mga terminal,” Dizon said in an interview over Super Radyo dzBB.

(For me, this is unacceptable that is why the LTFRB and the LTO have issued a show cause order against these 25 bus companies. I summoned all of these 25 companies this week and they really have to comply with the standards of a passenger terminal.)

“Bibigyan po natin sila ng panahon. Kung hindi po sila mag-comply within ‘yung taning na ibibigay natin, eh pasensyahan po. Talagang mag-i-impose tayo ng mabibigat na penalty laban sa mga bus company na ito,” he added.

(We will give them a certain period of time. If they fail to comply within the given deadline, then I’m sorry, we will really impose heavy penalties against these bus companies.)

Dizon reiterated that bus companies should provide passengers the proper facilities in their terminals because they are paying fares in full.

“Kasi ‘yung mga kababayan natin, buo ho 'yung binabayaran niyan. Whole fare ho 'yan and yet, wala silang upuan, wala ho silang electric fan, wala silang maayos na CR….Parang garahe lang,” he quipped.

(Our countrymen pay their fares in full. That's whole fare, and yet they don't have chairs and electric fans, and there is no clean comfort room [or restroom]. It's just like a garage.)

During his inspection amid the Holy Week last April 14, Dizon warned, what he called the illegal bus terminals, of a shutdown. —KG, GMA Integrated News