The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB; ) is an agency of the Republic of the Philippines under the Department of Transportation (DOTr). The LTFRB was established on June 19, 1987, during the former president Corazon Aquino’s administration.
The LTFRB is responsible for promulgating, administering, enforcing, and monitoring compliance of policies, laws, and regulations of public land transportation services. The agency is in charge of granting franchises or accreditations and regulating public vehicles such as Public Utility Buses (PUBs), Mini-buses, Public Utility Jeepneys (PUJs), Utility Vehicle (UV) Express Services, Filcab service, school services, taxies, Transportation Network Vehicle Services (TNVS), Tourist Transport Services, and For Hire Cargo vehicles except tricycles, pedicabs, and habal-habals.
History The regulatory land transportation dates back to the early 1900s. The LTFRB therefore, is a product of a series of transformations. The evolutionary progression runs as thus:
Coastwise Rate Commission The first iteration of the LTFRB was established on November 17, 1902, through the passing of Act No. 520.Act No. 520 The commission is in charge of classifying vessels, merchandise, and passengers in with reference to transportation under the coastwise trade, and fixing the maximum rates to be imposed on the vessels and merchandise of different classes, and people that are being moved from one point to another across the country.
Board of Public Utility Commissioners On December 19, 1913, through Act No. 1507, the Supervising Railway Expert was created.Act No. 1507 The following year would see the creation of the Board of Rate Regulation before these three would be subsumed into the Board of Public Utility Commissioners. The Board of Public Utility Commissioners was patterned after the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and regulated utilities such as electricity and water in addition to land and coastal transportation.
Public Service Commission In 1926, with the implementation of the Public Service Act, the Board was replaced by the Public Service Commission.Public Service Act The commission was given jurisdiction over many forms of public utility and services, which was defined in the Act as any person for hire, any mode of transport, or anything else that fit into the remaining categories listed in the Act.
Specialized regulatory boards In September 1972, then President Ferdinand Marcos implemented the Integrated Reorganization Plan through Presidential Decree No. 1. In the implementation of this plan, the Public Service Commission was abolished and its responsibilities distributed among multiple regulatory boards that each focused on a part of the PSC's regulatory function.Integrated Reorganization Plan
Land Transportation Commission The Land Transportation Commission was formed in 1964, but it would be renamed in 1979 by former president, Ferdinand Marcos, to the Bureau of Land Transportation. In 1985, the Bureau was combined with the Board of Transportation because it was determined that a number of their functions were similar to the other's. The Board of Transportation was formed as a part of the Integrated Reorganization Plan. The Bureau worked closely with the Board by enforcing the regulations established by it.
From its inception, the Land Transportation Commission held the duty of classifying, registering, and regulating all forms of land-based vehicles. In addition to this, it issued licenses and enforced traffic rules.Land Transportation Commission
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board In 1987, then President Corazon Aquino abolished the LTC, and created two offices to replace it. The Land Transportation Office took on the functions of the Bureau of Land Transportation, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board took on the functions of the Board of Transportation.
Organizational structure
Office of the Chairman and the board members The Office of the Chairman and its board members has the capability perform the powers and functions as mandated in Executive Order 202 and Public Service Act.Executive Order 202Public Service Act The Board shall have the following powers and functions:
To prescribe and regulate routes of service, economically viable capacities and zones or areas of operation of public land transportation services provided by motorized vehicles in accordance with the public land transportation development plans and programs approved by the Department of Transportation To issue, amend, revise, suspend or cancel Certificates of Public Convenience or permits authorizing the operation of public land transportation services provided by motorized vehicles, and to prescribe the appropriate terms and conditions therefore; To determine, prescribe and approve and periodically review and adjust, reasonable fares, rates and other related charges, relative to the operation of public land transportation services provided by motorized vehicles; To issue preliminary or permanent injunction, whether prohibitory or mandatory, in all cases in which it has jurisdiction, and in which cases the pertinent provisions of the Rules of Court shall apply; To punish for contempt of the Board, both direct and indirect, in accordance with the pertinent provisions of, and the penalties prescribed by, the Rules of Court; To issue subpoena and subpoena duces tecum and summon witnesses to appear in any proceedings of the Board, to administer oaths and affirmations; To conduct investigations and hearings of complaints for violation of the public service laws on land transportation and of the Board's rules and regulations, orders, decisions and/or rulings and to impose fines and/or penalties for such violations; To review motu proprio the decisions/actions of the Regional Franchising and Regulatory Office herein created; To promulgate rules and regulations governing proceedings before the Board and the Regional Franchising and Regulatory Office: Provided, That except with respect to paragraphs d, e, f and g hereof, the rules of procedure and evidence prevailing in the courts of laws should not be controlling and it is the spirit and intention of said rules that the Board and the Regional Franchising and Regulatory Offices shall use every and all reasonable means to ascertain facts in its case speedily and objectively and without regard to technicalities of law and procedures, all in the interest of due process; To fix, impose and collect, and periodically review and adjust, reasonable fees and other related charges for services rendered; To formulate, promulgate, administer, implement and enforce rules and regulations on land transportation public utilities, standards of measurements and/or design, and rules and regulations requiring operators of any public land transportation service to equip, install and provide in their utilities and in their stations such devices, equipment facilities and operating procedures and techniques as may promote safety, protection, comfort and convenience to persons and property in their charges as well as the safety of persons and property within their areas of operations; To coordinate and cooperate with other government agencies and entities concerned with any aspect involving public land transportation services with the end in view of effecting continuing improvement of such services; and To perform such other functions and duties as may be provided by law, or as may be necessary, or proper or incidental to the purposes and objectives of this Executive Order.
Office of the Executive Director The Office of the Executive Director assists the Chairman or the Board Members in the execution and implementation of all laws and policies pertaining to the regulations of land transportation public utilities.
They provide advisement services relative to the economical, efficient, and effective administration of personnel and other resources of the LTFRB.
Key officials LTFRB key officials as of June 2026 CHAIRPERSON, BOARD MEMBERS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTORNameFunctionAtty. Vigor D. Mendoza II,ChairpersonIsagani M. Victorio, DPABoard MemberAtty. Greg G. Pua Jr.Board MemberAtty. John Paul Allen M. VictaOffice of the Executive Director
Divisions DIVISIONS HEADSNameFunctionDivisionMarissa Paula E. MamauagN/AInformation Systems Management DivisionAtty. Ralph Aidrin E. BaguioOfficer-In-ChargeLegal DivisionJoel J. BolanoChiefTechnical DivisionNivette Amber M. PastoriteChiefAdministrative DivisionMa. Angelina Goldamier M. Tamayo, CPAChiefFinancial and Management DivisionAtty. Sherwin D. VizcondeChiefFranchise Planning and Monitoring Division
Administrative Division
Personal management and development General services and other auxiliary services Equipment and supplies management Administrative records management Receipt custody collection and disburse of funds Automotive and mechanical services
Financial and Management Division
Budget and financial management Accounting services Audit services
Technical Division Development of financial and economic standards for franchise application Assessment of fees, services, and charges Issuance of special permit Receipt, Evaluation, and Processing of all Franchise applications/petitions Enforcement relative to Franchise applications Supervision of periodical inspection of units, terminals, and garages
Information Systems Management Division Records management Computer services Confirmation services Planning development Data gathering and reporting services Issuance of diploma type CPC and sticker services
Legal Division Hearing of application cases Legal researchers Administrative legal researches Adjudication and litigation of violations
Regional Franchising and Regulatory Offices
Implement approved policies, plans and programs, rules and regulations of the Board at the regional level Hear and decide uncontested applications/petitions for routes, within their respective region Coordinate and cooperates with the government agencies and entities concerned with any aspect involving land transportation within the region Perform other related functions
Initiative and projects
Fare rates The LTFRB is in charge of regulating fares of public vehicles.
In 2003, LTFRB granted fare discounts to senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWD) and students.Republic Act 7277 The discount is equivalent to 20% of the regular or normal fare. According to the memorandum they issued, this is to give their needs the utmost priority.
Anti-colorum campaign The word colorum was first used in an official capacity in 1973 to refer to unauthorized public utility vehicles, when then-president Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 101,Presidential Decree No. 101 which modified the definitions of public utility vehicles and prescribed the manner in which these should be operated.
The colorum violation was established and prescribed by the Department of Transportation and Communications under the Violations in Connection with Franchise of the Joint Administrative Order No. 2014–01 in 1992.Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01 in 1992 This penalizes motor vehicles operating as colorum, and they are considered as such under the following circumstances: A private motor vehicle operating as a PUV but without proper authority from the LTFRB A PUV operating outside of its approved route or area without a prior permit from the Board or outside the exceptions provided under existing memorandum A PUV operating differently from its authorized denomination (e.g. those approved as school service but operating as UV express, or those approved as tourist bus transport but operating as city or provincial bus); and A PUV with suspended or cancelled CPC and the Decision/Order of suspension or cancellation is executory; and