4 more bus companies suspended

MANILA, Philippines –  The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has suspended the operations of four bus companies for allegedly participating in a bus strike that affected thousands of Metro Manila commuters on Nov. 15, 2010.

A resolution signed by LTFRB Chairman Nelson Laluces cancelled the Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) issued to Jayross Lucky Seven Tours, Laguna Star Bus Transportation System and Angelito Chang Bus Line for six months. The operations of JRMS Golden Sky Transport Inc. was ordered suspended for three months.

LTFRB board member Manuel Iway said the bus firms can still file a motion for reconsideration within 15 days. He said that as grantees of CPCs, they are bound to provide the riding public with adequate transport service.

He said Jayross was not able to prove its claim that their drivers were either harassed, threatened, or were victims of violence, while the Angelito Chang Bus Line reportedly argued that it employed its institutional right to assemble. The LTFRB said this right is “subject to the conditions that the rights of others are not affected.”

Laguna Star Bus, meanwhile, failed to submit an explanation why it failed to field its units on Nov. 15.

JRMS alleged that “it did not take part in the protest of bus operators on the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) re-implementation of the number coding scheme” but it received information that participants in the transport holiday harassed and threw stones at buses. ”For fear of the employees’ lives and possible damage on the assigned buses, the employees opted not to wait and instead went home,” the bus firm said.

The LTFRB, however, found JRMS’ reason to be without merit. The agency has ordered all four bus firms to surrender the yellow plates of all its authorized units to the board immediately.

The strike was staged to protest an MMDA directive that placed buses under the number-coding scheme. The scheme, aimed at reducing congestion of vehicles on the road, used to cover only private cars.