Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez revealed a significant gap between the number of bus franchises and special permits issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the actual number of buses operating along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.
In a exclusive interview on DZRH's Dos Por Dos, Lopez said that while the LTFRB has issued around 3,973 franchises and special permits for routes covering Commonwealth, a manual audit conducted by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) found that only 100 to 150 buses are operating daily in the area, far below the expected number.
"Ang mga prangkisa tsaka special permit na inisyu ng LTFRB diyan sa may commonwealth ito po ay humigit kumulang na 4,000 o 3, 973 to be exact at noong tayo ay nagcommute at manual audit tayo pagdating lang po sa bus ang bumabaybay po diyan hindi po lalagpas ng 100 to 150 everyday," Lopez said.
The transportation chief said this gap indicates serious lapses in monitoring by the LTFRB. He noted that some of the special permits still being recognized were issued as early as 2023, with no recent validation on whether the buses remain operational.
"Tinanong ko po sila kung kailan sila huling nagmonitor ang sabi po nila sa akin noong nagsimula po tayo magcommute, ‘yung mga binigay nilang permit nagstart pa ng 2023 so kulang talaga," he stated.
Inactive units and non-reporting by operators
Lopez also disclosed that many operators cited financial and logistical challenges as reasons for their non-operation. Some said their routes were "too long and no longer financially viable," while others admitted they lacked functioning vehicles or available drivers.
However, Lopez emphasized that these issues were not being reported properly to the government.
"May memorandum circular pa nga po na within 2 months hindi bumibiyahe, abadonment na yan at irerevoke dapat ang kanilang prangkisa o special permit. Tinanong ko po isla kung kailan sila huling nagmonitor ang sbai po nila sa akin noong magsimula po tayong magcommute," he said.
"Ang binigay nilang mga permit nagstart pa ng 2023. So kulang talaga ng monitoring kaya hindi nila alam kung anong nangyayari sa lansangan," the DOTr chief added.
He has since given operators five days to deploy their units or face possible revocation of franchises and special permits, adding that the DOTr is also holding the LTFRB accountable for its monitoring lapses.
"Sinabihan ko sila na bibigyan ko ng 5 araw dito sa mga operator kung hidni pa rin ninyo nilabas ang mga sasakyan. If there’s no significant improvement, talagang irerevoke ang mga prangkisa, special permit kung kailangan kasuhan, kakasuhan kayo," he said.
Lopez said he has also directed the LTFRB to submit an explanation within five days regarding the discrepancies and to conduct an immediate reassessment of issued franchises and permits.
The DOTr chief said the lack of active public utility vehicle worsens the daily struggles of commuters, especially along Commonwealth Avenue — one of Metro Manila’s busiest corridors.
In response, on October 3, the LTFRB issued 268 additional special permits to address the shortage, but Lopez said both the agency and operators were instructed to submit explanations within five days.
Lopez said the DOTr has also received complaints about long queues at the Ayala terminal, prompting him to personally inspect the situation.
The secretary also shared his own experience commuting from the Commonwealth, admitting it was difficult.
"Noong tayo po ay nagcommute, ako po aaminin ko talaga pong nahirapan po ako. Talagang ang hirap magcommute. Kung hindi ko po naranasan baka hindi ko po mabibigyan pansin ang sitwasyon ngayon," he pointed said.
Lopez expressed optimism that the completion of the MRT-7 project, expected by 2027, will significantly ease traffic and improve transportation in the Commonwealth area.
