CONVERSATION: #LTOCorruption

MANILA, Philippines – Fighting corruption has not been easy. It’s pervasive and comes in different forms.

It plagues various government agencies in different degrees. Some attempts to fight it have been successful, while others have failed. At the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), agencies tasked to ensure safe public travel, the problem persists.

While the LTO registers motor vehicles and issues licenses to drivers, the LTFRB enforces and monitors compliance with policies, laws, franchises, and regulations. Unfortunately, insiders say, they also work together engaging in fraud and bribery practices to the detriment of the riding public. From January to December 2014 for instance, the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group reported 15,572 vehicular accidents nationwide. In these, 1,252 people died while 9,347 were injured.

Not enough seems to have been done to address the problem of corruption. (READ: Part 1: Corruption at LTO, LTFRB: Unfit drivers, vehicles on the road and Part 2: Corruption at the LTO)

At 6 pm on Tuesday, August 4, Newsbreak, Rappler’s investigative arm, will be holding a Twitter conversation on #LTOCorruption. It’s an opportunity to share your own experiences dealing with these agencies. It’s also a chance to share your own ideas about how this persistent problem can be licked. Unsafe buses, unlicensed and irresponsible drivers shouldn’t be on the road. Fixers and bribe-takers ought to be kicked out. 

How to do this? Let’s talk about it. Join the conversation on August 4. – Rappler.com