LTFRB, LTO conduct joint meeting on Mariveles bus operators appeal

The municipal councilor said in the hearing of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC)held last Tuesday, the separate appeal of the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) and the Sangguniang Bayan of Mariveles were tackled resulting to the scheduling of the meeting of the LTFRB and LTO.

Akbayan Cong. Walden Bello is scheduled to attend the meeting. Sunga said they and AFAB made the appeal for the transition period so that the thousands of commuters working in this town particularly inside the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) will be continuously serviced.

“What we are appealing for is a transition for our bus operators to adjust and not disrupt the services to thousands of local commuters”, the councilor further explained. Thousands of workers inside FAB and students are daily commuting in and out of Mariveles.  

Sunga also said that the DOTC is set to submit its reply to the petition of the Mariveles transport group at the Court of Appeals on Friday.

It will be remembered that Mariveles Vice Mayor Turing Isip and the municipal councilor immediately acted following the enforcement of the order prohibiting the operation of buses plying the Balanga-Mariveles route, whose franchisees were either recalled or not renewed by the LTFRB.

 A 2013 LTFRB order implements the phasing out of 15 years old or older passenger buses and mini buses. Around half of the about 260 units of buses and mini-buses plying the Balanga-Mariveles route were affected. The two municipal officials had led a series of consultation meetings with the operators and drivers of buses and mini-buses in Mariveles to discuss the situation.