The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is investigating Solid North Transit following two separate complaints involving animal cruelty and disrespect toward a person with disability (PWD).
In a statement Thursday, LTFRB Chair Teofilo Guadiz III said the company could be issued a show cause order for incidents reported on April 18 and 20.
On April 19, a commuter on the Tarlac-Baguio route reported that a conductor forcibly placed her pet cat, inside a carrier, into the baggage compartment. She said the driver and conductor made remarks suggesting the cat could die from the heat, which led her to leave the bus before reaching her destination.
Two days later, another complaint surfaced involving a conductor on a Baguio-La Union trip who allegedly mocked a passenger’s child by calling them “pipi” (mute).
“These incidents in public transport should be addressed. These should not become normal because passengers’ rights and their and their pets’ safety are being violated here,” Guadiz said.
He warned bus operators and staff against disrespecting passengers, emphasizing the need for courtesy, especially toward PWDs.
“We must treat these complaints seriously because if we let it happen once, twice, baka ma-normalize, eh hindi tama ‘yon. We assure you that we will deal with this accordingly,” he added.
Guadiz also reminded commuters of the LTFRB guidelines: pets must be placed in carriers, have updated vaccination records, and carry travel clearance from the Bureau of Animal Industry when transported via public vehicles.
