Book 4, Title 0, Sec. 19The Board shall:

Powers and Functions of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. - The Board shall:

(1) Prescribe and regulate routes, 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 and Communications;

(2) 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 prescribe the appropriate terms and conditions therefor;

(3) Determine, prescribe, 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;

(4) Issue preliminary or permanent injunctions, 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;

(5) 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;

(6) Issue subpoena and subpoena duces tecum and to summon witnesses to appear in any proceedings of the Board, to administer oaths and affirmations, and, in appropriate cases, to order the search and seizure of all vehicles and documents, upon probable cause and as may be necessary for the proper disposition of the cases before it;

(7) 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 or rulings and to impose fines or penalties for such violations;

(8) Review motu propio the decisions/actions of the Regional Franchising and Regulatory Offices;

(9) Promulgate rules and regulations governing proceedings before the Board and the Regional Franchising and Regulatory Office. However, except with respect to paragraphs 4, 5, 6, and 7 hereof, the rules of procedure and evidence prevailing in the courts of law should not be controlling but rather the spirit and intention of said rules. The Board and the Regional Franchising and Regulatory Offices shall use every and all reasonable means to ascertain facts in each case speedily and objectively and without regard to technicalities of law and procedures, all in the interest of due process;

(10) Fix, impose and collect, and periodically review and adjust, reasonable fees and other related charges for services rendered;

(11) Formulate, promulgate, administer, implement and enforce rules and regulations on land transportation public utilities, standards of measurements 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 operation;

(12) 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

(13) 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 the Department;