THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Northern Mindanao (LTFRB-10) has issued a reminder to publIc utility drivers and operators who availed of the government’s service contracting and “Libreng Sakay” programs not to be hard on minors travelling with their parents or guardians despite some restriction under the guidelines.
LTFRB-10 Regional Director Aminoden Alan Guro made the statement following complaints from passengers who are Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APORs) that they were refused to board the Libring Sakay utilities merely because they bring along their children who were minors.
“Libreng Sakay” program provides that the government compensates the drivers and operators to give free rides to the public.
But under the guidelines, only the
healthcare workers, medical frontliners, essential workers at Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APORs) are entitled to a free ride.
Most public utility vehicles continue to operate under limited seating capacity to ensure physical distancing and prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
But Guro opined that common sense dictates that when parents who are APORs and carry a child who is minor and without valid IDs must not be refused travel as this runs counter the norms of parental responsibility over their children.
“Where will you leave a lactating child if you’ll separate them from their mother? Or, who’ll take care of a five year old child of an APOR parents?” Guro said.
“With our much improved situation and downgraded health protocols, drivers and operators must be lenient to parents travelling with minor children and also to persons with disabilities and senior citizens,” Guro added.
Under the service contracting program, the more than 49,000 drivers nationwide who have contracts with the LTFRB are entitled to a one-time payout of ₱4,000 and weekly payments per kilometer traveled, regardless of the number of passengers. It’s a departure from the boundary system where the income of drivers and operators totally depend on the fares collected from passengers.
