Taxis in Ilocos excite commuters

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

LAOAG CITY—Commuters that often travel out of the province are excited with the announcement of taxis that will soon serve the Ilocos Region.

In support of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program of the Duterte administration, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board announced the opening of taxi franchise in Ilocos region.

The LTFRB will initially open 75 franchises for the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan.

For an overseas Filipino worker from Burgos, Ilocos Norte, Alma Gaoiran said this is a good development among Ilocos residents especially those who have no private vehicles like her to fetch her when arriving at the Laoag International Airport.

“The presence of taxi in Ilocos is interesting. It’s more convenient for us commuters when we need to catch up a flight or when we go to farther destination,” said Ms. Gaoiran who narrated the inconvenience of riding a tricycle from the Laoag airport to the city proper and then wait for almost half an hour for a public utility jeepney or bus to bring her home to Burgos, which is approximately an hour ride from downtown Laoag.

On July 12, 2019, the LTFRB Region 1 launched a road show presenting a number of modernized vehicles which include bus, van and taxi units along the national highway which will soon serve commuters in the region.

According to LTFRB Region I Director Nasrudin Talipasan, this is the first time that a taxi will operate in the region to improve its public transport system.

Pursuant to the Department of Transportation’s vehicle modernization program, the additional taxi franchise is in support of the flagship program of the Duterte administration which envisions a restructured, modern, well-managed and environmentally sustainable transport sector where drivers and operators have stable, sufficient and dignified livelihoods while commuters get to their destinations quickly, safely and comfortably.

Several cooperative members in Ilocos Norte however expressed dismay about the latest development as they claimed the LTFRB has not considered their reservation for taxi franchise application.

“We reserved 15 slots with the LTFRB but we just learned a cooperative from Ilocos Sur with members from Laoag took our reserved slots,” said a van-for-rent operator in Laoag also on July 12, 2019.

According to the LTFRB, the modernization program is a comprehensive system reform that will entirely change the public land transportation industry. It features a regulatory reform and sets new guidelines for the issuance of franchise for road based public transport services. It devolved the function of route planning to the local government units as they are more versed in the terrain and passenger demand within their respective territorial jurisdiction.

Under the program, local government units are required to submit their own Local Public Transport Plan (LPTRP) as a pre-requisite for the opening of PUV franchises within their jurisdiction.

The LTFRB will also conduct studies on route rationalization studies to determine the appropriate mode, quantity and service characteristics of the public transport service in each corridor which will make the routes more responsive to passenger demand and ensure that the hierarchy of roads and modes of transportation are followed.