Making our streets disorderly

I HAVE noticed that one of the most visible daily problems all over the city is what appears to be an uncontrolled issuance of franchises to taxicabs, jeepneys, and even motorelas.

I know that franchises for motorelas are issues by the city government and those for taxicabs and jeepneys are done by the LTFRB.

Without even counting the numbers, one can clearly see the sudden increase in the number of taxi units plying city streets.  While the number of jeepneys may not have astronomically increased these past few years, the same cannot be said of taxicabs.

One with an eagle eye can clearly see a good number of taxis running around chasing passengers and yet they still sport the conduction permit numbers of their units.  Can a motor vehicle for public transport be issued a franchise even prior to its registration?

Is it true that corruption is a normal daily occurrence in the franchising office?  Ask a taxi operator and he or she will spill out some beans, although they won’t spell out everything for fear of earning the ire of the franchising officer.

If you don’t believe me, take a look at the “westbound terminal” in Bulua.  Taxicabs literally flood what was supposed to be a parking area for waiting private vehicles. Then try to see for yourselves the areas in the malls–Centrio, Gaisano, Ororama Cogon, LKKS, the Agora bus terminal, and even at Divisoria.

Why the franchiser is overstaying is beyond explanation.  And everybody seems to know about how money changes hands yet they pretend as if they are clean.

On the motorela problem, the franchising office of the city government does not seem to know what it is doing.  It has consistently failed to do its job, and is seen as contented with “pwede na ’yan” results.

The failure of the city licensing office and the LTFRB to perform their jobs is what is making our city streets disorderly.

I have not mentioned the LTO and RTA yet.

Oh mhay Ghhaaad! –Romanito Conteras, romanitoconteras@gmail.com