The sudden approval of 100 new “blue taxi” franchises in Iloilo City has sent ripples of concern across the local transport sector, prompting Mayor Raisa Treñas and Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna to demand a full explanation from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-6).

Cabaluna, who chairs the City Council’s Committee on Transportation, said he has yet to receive LTFRB’s official reply to the letter he sent questioning the legal and factual basis for the additional franchises.

In an interview, Cabaluna emphasized that the city government should have been consulted first before the approval, citing the absence of any study establishing a need for more taxi units.

“It would have been better if LTFRB-6 had coordinated with us so the city could give its inputs and involve stakeholders,” the councilor said. “Operators have long complained that their income is already declining due to stiff competition.”

While acknowledging that LTFRB holds the power to issue franchises, Cabaluna underscored that the city bears the brunt of such decisions.

“The issuance is within their authority, but we face the consequences — in livelihood, traffic, and public order,” he noted.

The issue surfaced after the Association of Taxi Operators in Panay (ATOP) met with Cabaluna’s committee and later with Mayor Treñas to protest the influx of blue taxis, saying existing operators are already struggling to stay afloat.

“We’re not against new investors as long as they’re legitimate and qualified,” Cabaluna clarified. “But the question remains: how did LTFRB determine the need for more taxis when our roads are congested and operators are barely surviving?”

In response, Mayor Treñas ordered the Local Public Transport Route Committee (LPTRC) to convene an emergency meeting with LTFRB-6, Land Transportation Office (LTO)-6, transport cooperatives, commuter groups, and other stakeholders to resolve the growing dispute.

“We have to find balance,” the mayor said. “We welcome growth, but it must not come at the expense of existing operators or our city’s traffic management.”

As Iloilo awaits LTFRB’s explanation, operators warn that without proper coordination, the city could face a double bind — worsening traffic on the streets and thinning incomes for those who have long kept Iloilo moving.IMT