The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is set to investigate the operation of a new ride-sharing application on mobile devices.

The ride-sharing app Libre Taxi is now the favorite alternative to Uber and Grab by Filipinos who do not wish to use a third party provider when getting a taxi service. It has replaced another app Arcade City that allows drivers and passengers to hook up on their own using their mobile device.

LTFRB Board Member Atty. Aileen Lizada told Autocar PH that any business that takes passengers as a business needs a franchise form the government regulating body and cannot be operating on their own.

Lizada two months ago, during the Uber fiasco, already clarified that when a driver asks for payment i  exchange for a ride is already covered under the franchise laws and will be penalized accordingly when not registered with the LTFRB.

Libre Taxi can be accessed by downloading the chat app Telegram and then using the LibreTaxi bot to hook up the drivers and passengers with each other. It’s biggest client base to date are motorcycle riders when the other ride-sharing app Angkas was shut down by LTFRB.

“LibreTaxi is not accredited with LTFRB. Parang Angkas lang yan. All their vehicles are colorum,” said Lizada in a text reply to our questions.

Lizada said she will come out with a memorandum to address this latest ride-sharing app issue.