Transport regulator looking at relaxing ride-sharing rules
By Denise A. Valdez, Reporter
THE LAND Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said it might relax the application process for ride-sharing services in the country after a dialogue with operators yesterday.
The agency is looking at removing the need for a so-called bank certificate of conformity for aspiring transport network vehicle service operators, said LTFRB Chairman Martin B. Delgra III, who presided over the meeting at the agency in Quezon City.
“We will have to take it up to the banks and with LTO (Land Transportation Office) as well,” he said.
This comes after Ernesto V. Perez, deputy director general of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), proposed changes to the LTFRB’s application process.
The agency should relax the rules on bank conformity so it will not be used as grounds to dismiss a petition for provisional authority, Mr. Perez said.
Operators want to remove the bank certificate requirement, which has made it difficult for them to get permits to operate as drivers for ride-sharing services such as Grab Philippines.
The LTFRB is also seeking to hold more weekly hearings on ride-sharing applications to accommodate the backlog.
As of end-May, the LTFRB said it had issued certificates of public convenience and provisional authority to 40,522 ride-sharing units, composed of 5,293 drivers with certificates and 35,229 drivers with provisional authority.
