LTFRB gives longer reprieve to ‘colorum’ cargo trucks

MANILA, Philippines—The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has given “colorum” trucks-for-hire more time to apply for a provisional authority (PA) in anticipation of the large volume of cargo expected to arrive in the country during the holiday season.

According to the agency, it will accept new applications for a provisional authority from owners of cargo trucks who are still waiting for the approval of their transport franchise, giving them access to Manila ports until Jan. 15 next year.

The trucks, however, must abide by the truck regulations laid down by the Manila City government and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the LTFRB said in a statement.

The extension of the application period, one of the measures taken up during a Cabinet cluster meeting on the congestion of Manila ports, will enable about 5,000 truck port users to operate while they work on their franchise application.

“After a careful study of the port situation and [in] consideration of the plight of truck port users as well as the possible economic impact [on] our local agri-business sector and consumers, we will comply with the directive of the Cabinet Cluster,” LTFRB Chair Winston Ginez said.

“We support the national government’s recommendation to extend the issuance of PAs to truck port users to ensure sufficiency and availability of cargo trucks to decongest the Port of Manila,” Ginez added.

The truck ban earlier imposed by the Manila City government to ease traffic flow in the city has been blamed for port congestion, which cost the country P450 billion in lost revenues from February to July, according to the House joint committees on transportation and the MMDA.