The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has ordered a bus company to explain after a viral complaint alleged that passengers were forced to wait three hours before departure from the VTX terminal in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
In a statement Thursday, LTFRB Chair Vigor Mendoza II denounced the conduct of the driver and conductor of A&B Liner Inc., describing their behavior as “unacceptable and insulting” based on a social media post by Tino Olivarez.
“Lokohan at bastusan ang lengguwaheng alam ng konduktor at driver, bibigyan natin sila ng leksyon to send (They used misleading and disrespectful language, we will teach them a lesson by sending) a strong message that this kind of behavior is not tolerated and must be corrected,” Mendoza said.
According to Olivarez’s account, he boarded a Lucena City-bound bus at around 10 p.m. with other passengers. After an hour of waiting, they inquired about the departure time and were assured by the conductor that the trip would begin shortly.
By 12:30 a.m., tickets were finally issued, with another assurance that the bus was about to leave. However, after three hours of waiting, a passenger who requested a refund was allegedly refused by the conductor.
The complaint reached Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez, who directed Mendoza to investigate the matter.
The LTFRB subsequently issued a show cause order (SCO) requiring the bus company to submit a written explanation within 10 days on why its franchise should not be suspended or revoked for failing to provide adequate and comfortable service to commuters.
The firm was also instructed to attend a hearing on March 19, 2026, at the LTFRB Central Office in Quezon City.
“We are giving them the opportunity to explain their side as part of the due process. What we can assure is that the LTFRB is always on the side of the commuter in cases of abuses and wrongdoings,” Mendoza said.
He urged the public to continue reporting violations and abuses committed by public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers.
“Let us not allow this to happen. All our kababayan (people) must do is to report and document their complaints, and we will take care of the rest,” he added.
The issuance of the SCO coincides with intensified nationwide surprise inspections led by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) on bus and other PUV terminals to ensure compliance with regulations on passenger comfort and proper facilities.
Authorities said that more than 120 bus and PUV terminal operators across the country have so far been served with SCOs and notices of violation as part of the ongoing enforcement drive.