LTFRB tweaks special permits for buses amid brewing bad weather

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has moved up the validity period of the special permits it issued to bus companies this holiday season to allow commuters to leave early for their provinces and ahead of a developing storm’s expected landfall in the Visayas and Mindanao this coming weekend.

LTFRB board member Aileen Lizada said on Tuesday that they decided to adjust the validity period of the special permits from December 23 to December 21 due to the inclement weather. She added that the extra two days would allow passengers to leave early for the Christmas weekend.

For the holidays, the LTFRB has received 482 applications for special permits, covering 1,144 units. To date, the LTFRB has already approved 463 applications, covering 1,055 units.

Of these, 611 buses are bound for North Luzon, 265 for South Luzon, 103 for Bicol region, 64 for the Visayas, and 12 for Mindanao. Lizada noted that the coverage of the special permits was not adjusted as these would still expire on January 3, 2018.

Based on the pre-disaster meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) held on Monday night, Lizada said they were briefed that after typhoon “Urduja,” a new weather disturbance is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility as early as Wednesday.

The weather disturbance is predicted to make landfall on Saturday as a tropical storm, which would be named “Vinta” and would likely affect Visayas and Mindanao, particularly Northern Mindanao.

Because of this, Lizada said that bus drivers should take precautionary measures during their trips and those with routes “directly affected by the typhoon and will pass through Ro-Ro ports are advised to cancel their trips and remain in their terminals until further notice.”              /kga