After long delays, LTFRB vows faster payments to operators, more buses along EDSA Carousel
MANILA, Philippines — After a payment backlog that some drivers say lasted years, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board vowed to settle its unpaid dues with transport operators and drivers along the EDSA Carousel busway.
In a statement issued Monday evening, LTFRB chair Cheloy Garafil vowed to continue fast-tracking the payment process after she and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista discovered what they said were backlogs left by the previous administration.
To recall, the government allotted P7 billion for service contracts under the Libreng Sakay program in the EDSA Carousel. In the busway, though, the government forewent P10 million in revenues daily to keep rides free for commuters.
"We will continue to expedite payments to our operators in the EDSA Carousel program. When I sat at the LTFRB two weeks ago, Week 6 of the program had not been paid for even as it was already running on Week 13," she said.
"I immediately fast-tracked the payment so now, after 2 weeks, we have already paid until week 10. We promised that we will further intensify their payment processing so that the bill will be updated by the end of July."
This contradicts earlier claims by former executive director Tina Cassion, who said that the payment issues faced by drivers were already labor issues between them and their employers as the LTFRB had already fulfilled its obligations.
READ: LTFRB says no complaints filed by drivers in ‘Libreng Sakay’ pay dispute
Garafil also said that after a meeting with the two consortia operating along the busway, the latter promised to maximize the deployment of their units during rush hours to address long queues of passengers and the anticipated return of face-to-face classes in August.
"Based on our record, only more than 200 buses are deployed on the busway during rush hour from the 440 buses that are supposed to be running here," she said.
Garafil added that Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista would study the possibility of constructing a busway terminal in Monumento, Caloocan City — among the busiest areas for the busway — to have a staging area and rest for drivers and commuters.
"This will help to have enough buses and it will immediately meet any overcrowding at the stations," she said.
"Other discussed were the placement of facilities at bus stops to make passengers comfortable especially when it rains, rate adjustment amidst the oil price hike, other busway users causing accidents and allowing limited standing during rush hour."
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