LTFRB-7 asks ‘a little bit of patience’ from drivers, operators of Libreng Sakay program

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Central Visayas Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. | file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) is asking drivers and operators who took part of the Libreng Sakay and service contracting programs to be patient in waiting for their payouts as the agency is trying to fast track the process amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

LTFRB-7 Director Eduardo Montealto Jr., made the statement on Monday, July 19, 2021, following complaints from some operators and drivers who have yet to receive their payouts from the said program.

“Naningkaot gyud ang LTFRB. Naa naman ang kwarta, hulat nalang sila. Gamay nalang pasensya gikan sa operators ug drivers, kay inig abot sa kwarta, diretso na sa ilang accounts,” Montealto said.

(The LTFRB is doing its best. The money is there, they just need to wait a little. We just ask a  little bit of patience from the operators and drivers. Anyway, when the money arrives, it goes straight to their accounts.)

Montealto said there is a lot of factors for the delay of the payouts, including the shipment of the hard copies of the records or reports to the Central Office.

Aside from that, Montealto said the Central Office is not only accommodating the same request from Metro Cebu but also from other regions nationwide.

He said that though they already sent soft copies to the Central Office, hard copies must be sent as well. He added that slow internet connection also plays a role in the delay of the payouts.

“Amo pod na gina-follow up pod tanan,” said the regional director, adding that from the regional office alone, it would take some time to verify all the reports given by the operators and drivers.

(We are following up on these.)

Under the Libreng Sakay contracting program, Montealto emphasized that operators have to submit daily monitoring reports, but some of them submitted it in bulk weekly or per month.

“Di man na nato pwede ma short cut kay duna man tay balaod nag ginasunod kay naa man tay COA (Commission on Audit) system. Isiguro pod na sa atong COA nga wa gyud mausik ani kay basin unya og naay gi magic magic lang,” he said.

(We can’t just take a shortcut on this since there are laws and a COA system we have to follow. The COA makes sure that nothing goes to waste because maybe it was done questionably.)

Montealto also said that before they were allowed to avail of the Libreng Sakay and service contracting programs, which started around April and ended on June 30, operators and drivers were already reminded of the possible delay of the payouts, considering the situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Central Visayas, Montealto said around 29 operators composed of buses, modernized jeepneys, and other public utility vehicles took part of the said program, wherein 70 percent of the subsidy would be given to the operators and 30 percent to the drivers.

He said that buses are paid P82.50 per kilometer while modernized jeepneys and other PUJs are paid P52.50 per KM.

The regional director also advised those operators and drivers who cannot wait for the payouts not to apply when the Libreng Sakay program is extended.

/bmjo

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