SC favors court ruling requiring taxis to issue meter receipts
06/09/2008 | 03:57 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Taxi drivers may soon be forced to issue receipts to their passengers after the Supreme Court denied taxi operators' petition which sought to stop the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) from implementing several memorandum orders that would require them, among others, to issue taxi meter receipts to passengers.
In a minute-resolution dated June 4, the Court en banc upheld a ruling of the Court of Appeals which said LTFRB’s Memorandum Circular Nos. 2003-10, 2003-020 and 2005-01 which impose standards and regulations for taxi and mega taxi units, including the issuance of taxi meter receipts, are legal and are actually intended to “ensure passengers’ welfare and safety."
In its ruling, the High Court said the Court of Appeals did not err when it junked the petition for prohibition sought by the groups Philippine National Taxi Operators Association Inc., (Pntoa): New Qualitrans Inc.; R&E Transport Inc.; ABC Transportation Services Inc.; and, Lucky 8 Transport Services.
“The Court resolved to deny the petition for review on certiorari, assailing the decision and resolution of the Court of Appeals, for failure thereof to sufficiently show that the public respondent committed any reversible error in the challenged decision and resolution as to warrant the exercise by this Court of its discretionary appellate jurisdiction in this case," the Supreme Court said in its ruling.
In its earlier decision, the Court of Appeals held that the revenue collection goal expressed in the said circular seems to be incidental only to the stated purpose of the requirement under Circular No. 2003-010 which is to “ensure passengers’ welfare and safety.
The appellate court also said the requirement of installing taxi meter issuing receipts only for units operating within Metro Manila is justifiable considering that tourism and commerce are concentrated in Metro Manila.
The CA noted that the volume of taxis and mega taxis is concentrated in Metro Manila.
The matter of requiring taxi operators to issue meter receipts was seconded by the Bureau of Internal Revenue last year in a bid to raise P1.2 billion in additional revenues for the government.
There are about 47,000 taxis that are registered with the LTFRB, based on the BIR’s records, as of June 2006.
The BIR pointed out that the government is losing the same amount as taxi operators only remit the ceiling required under the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), under which common carriers such as jeepneys, buses, and taxis are subject to percentage tax equivalent to 3 percent of their quarterly gross receipts.
Taxis plying major routes in Metro Manila and other cities are required to pay 3 percent of their minimum quarterly gross income of P3,600 while those in the provinces are levied 3 percent of P2,400.
By issuing meter receipts, the BIR would be able to document and monitor the earnings of operators and will also help protect commuters from abusive taxi drivers who contract passengers. - GMANews.TV
In a minute-resolution dated June 4, the Court en banc upheld a ruling of the Court of Appeals which said LTFRB’s Memorandum Circular Nos. 2003-10, 2003-020 and 2005-01 which impose standards and regulations for taxi and mega taxi units, including the issuance of taxi meter receipts, are legal and are actually intended to “ensure passengers’ welfare and safety."
In its ruling, the High Court said the Court of Appeals did not err when it junked the petition for prohibition sought by the groups Philippine National Taxi Operators Association Inc., (Pntoa): New Qualitrans Inc.; R&E Transport Inc.; ABC Transportation Services Inc.; and, Lucky 8 Transport Services.
“The Court resolved to deny the petition for review on certiorari, assailing the decision and resolution of the Court of Appeals, for failure thereof to sufficiently show that the public respondent committed any reversible error in the challenged decision and resolution as to warrant the exercise by this Court of its discretionary appellate jurisdiction in this case," the Supreme Court said in its ruling.
In its earlier decision, the Court of Appeals held that the revenue collection goal expressed in the said circular seems to be incidental only to the stated purpose of the requirement under Circular No. 2003-010 which is to “ensure passengers’ welfare and safety.
The appellate court also said the requirement of installing taxi meter issuing receipts only for units operating within Metro Manila is justifiable considering that tourism and commerce are concentrated in Metro Manila.
The CA noted that the volume of taxis and mega taxis is concentrated in Metro Manila.
The matter of requiring taxi operators to issue meter receipts was seconded by the Bureau of Internal Revenue last year in a bid to raise P1.2 billion in additional revenues for the government.
There are about 47,000 taxis that are registered with the LTFRB, based on the BIR’s records, as of June 2006.
The BIR pointed out that the government is losing the same amount as taxi operators only remit the ceiling required under the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), under which common carriers such as jeepneys, buses, and taxis are subject to percentage tax equivalent to 3 percent of their quarterly gross receipts.
Taxis plying major routes in Metro Manila and other cities are required to pay 3 percent of their minimum quarterly gross income of P3,600 while those in the provinces are levied 3 percent of P2,400.
By issuing meter receipts, the BIR would be able to document and monitor the earnings of operators and will also help protect commuters from abusive taxi drivers who contract passengers. - GMANews.TV
