Drivers and operators in CALABARZON were made to explain before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 4A why they failed to consolidate their jeepney units. 

Before the hearings at LTFRB, the drivers and operators were issued with show cause orders so they could explain why their franchises should not be canceled. 

“Basically, ang kanilang prangkisa ay dapat na-cancel na noong April 30. Subalit sila ay binibigyan pa rin ng pagkakataong makapagpaliwanag at marinig ang kanilang panig kung bakit hindi nila piniling makapag-consolidate," Loumer Bernabe, LTFRB-4A director, said.

LTFRB said the original deadline was in December 2023 but an extension was granted until April 30, 2024 to provide more time for compliance.

The hearings, not open to the media, involved around 100 driver-operators on May 21, 2024 alone, which will continue daily until all cases are addressed.

Arnell Lanto, a jeepney driver-operator, said he wasn’t able to consolidate his jeepney because of financial problems.

“Noong time na 'yun kaya hindi nakapagpa-consolidate eh unang-una eh kapos sa financial, kung bibigyan ng chance na magpa-consolidate, willing naman ako magpa-consolidate,” he said.

The LTFRB will assess the reasons provided by the drivers and operators. 

If the explanations are deemed insufficient or unsupported by strong evidence, the drivers and operators risk losing their franchises.

The LTFRB in the CALABARZON region issued show cause orders to 1,400 operators, all of whom are required to attend hearings. 

LTFRB said that 21,223 jeepney units in the region have consolidated successfully, as of this writing.