LTFRB XI breaks ground

The land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) XI commited to even intensify its key programs as agency officials groundbreak the new regional office located along Libby road in Puan, Talomo District.
LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra said during the groundbreaking ceremony Monday that they will intensify the anti-colorum operations as well as the Driver’s Academy Program orientation.
“The mandate of President Rodrigo Duterte is to strongly go after colorum vehicles. Despite the lack of impounding area, we continued that thrust but the lack of impounding site somehow posed us a challenge,” Delgra told reporters.
The regional office of LTFRB Davao Region at Matina Balusong has an area of 400 square meters only and all impounded vehicles are dumped there.
“Whenever we impound a colorum, we just maximize the space in the regional office but the neighboring people around the area are already complaining,” he said.
The impounded vehicles at Matina Balusong have been transferred to new site already even if the construction is still ongoing.
The office will also have a separate Driver’s Academy Building that is larger to cater more drivers to be oriented under the program.
“With our new building, we put emphasis on the training for our drivers especially that majority of road crashes is driver’s error. We have to make facilities for driver’s training,” said Delgra.
“The numbers of public utility drivers in the region is increasing so there is really a need for a larger facility,” LTFRB XI OIC regional director Cattleya Acaylar added.
The new regional office is also a privilege for the Davao region as it is the first regional office to be allotted with budget for a new site this year.
“This is the first time that we were given a budget for an impounding area anywhere else in the country. Manila and Cebu are just to follow,” Delgra said.
The construction of the new building is set for 330 calendar days but Delgra is hopeful it will be completed before the deadline.