DAVAO CITY, Philippines — A city councilor has called on the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to amend the implementation of the law that prohibits people to ride in the back of vehicles.
Councilor Conrado Baluran, who chairs the Committee on Transportation and Communications, made the call in his privilege speech on Tuesday during the regular session of the city council.
“We would like to request them [LTO] to hold in abeyance its implementation while we are requesting for an amendment by way of regulating not prohibiting,” Baluran said.
Baluran said many have sought the help of his office, especially farmer constituents from the 3rd district which is mostly an agricultural area of the city.
“Their intention for acquiring pick-ups, bongo, or other vehicles with a space at the back is to ferry more passengers especially going to their farms that have no public transport service. This is their main mode of transportation intended to carry produce and people to their farms,” he said.
“Of course, we would always listen to the clamor of the public,” he said.
On September 18, 2019, the LTO Central Office signed a memorandum that prohibits the operation of motor vehicles exceeding its capacity and/or with passengers riding outside of the vehicle at the space intended for cargo freight.
Violators may have to pay a fine of P2,000 to P3,000 and face suspension of the certificate of public convenience.
According to Baluran, while this law has been long approved, the public was caught by surprise with its urgent implementation.
“Although this has been already passed long time ago, they immediately implemented this without the dissemination of information. They should have disseminated to the public first before they implemented this law,” he said.
According to Baluran, he met with the LTO XI regional director lawyer Gomer Dy. The latter said he will also represent the voice of the people of Davao to the national office.
