ILOILO City – There is no stopping this city’s Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP). It will be fully enforced beginning June 12, according to Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) head Jeck Conlu.
The LPTRP prohibits provincial jeepneys from entering the city. They are only up to the transport terminals in the boundary barangays of the city. It is the city loop jeepneys that will transport provincial passengers to the city from the terminals.
Two transport groups asked Mayor Jerry Treñas to postpone the LPTRP’s implementation.
“Indi pwede ma-postpone kay ang iban ‘ya nga transport cooperatives ready na,” said Conlu.
In their letter to Treñas, the Metro Iloilo Transport Service Cooperative (MITSCOO) and the Iloilo City Alliance of Drivers Association (ICADA) reasoned out that the number of city loop jeepneys is not enough to move provincial passengers from the transport terminals to the city.
Also, according to MITSCOOP chairman Josemarie De Los Reyes and ICADA president Nicasio Dalisay Jr., they have a loan application for 148 modernized jeepney units with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and 180 more units with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and are waiting for the release of their Letter of Guarantee (LOG) this July.
“Those units will be deployed to various routes in Iloilo City that are not being serviced right now. (But) we have a problem with the Land Transportation Office (LTO). It is slow to release of our registration due to their system problems,” they explained.
The two groups clarified that they are not against the implementation of LPTRP. However, they stressed, a lot of factors could compromise the convenience of commuters and hamper their right to travel.
“We believe in the gradual implementation and smooth transition of our transport system…(there are) a lot of factors to consider,” they added.
According to Conlu, the LPTRP is part of the national government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) and must be implemented.
This flagship program of the Duterte administration envisions a restructured, modern, well-managed and environmentally sustainable transport sector where drivers and operators have stable, sufficient and dignified livelihood while commuters get to their destinations quickly, safely and comfortably.
Not merely a vehicle modernization program, the PUVMP also devolved the function of route planning to local government units (LGUs) as they are more versed in the terrain and passenger demand within their respective territorial jurisdiction.
LGUs are required under the program to submit their own LPTRP as a prerequisite for the opening of PUV franchises within their jurisdiction.
“Our LPTRP is five years in the making. Ginapa-implement na ‘ni sa aton kag ang iban nga transport cooperative naka– ready naman,” said Conlu.
Last week, the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative (WVTC) which operates modern jeepneys and still have member-operators with traditional jeepneys assured the public there are enough units to haul provincial passengers from transport terminals to the city when the LPTRP would be implemented beginning June 12.
According to Raymundo Parcon, WVTC president, members have been meeting almost every day in preparation for the LPTRP implementation.
WVTC is composed 17 city-based transport associations. Parcon said they have sufficient number of jeepneys to move city-bound people from the transport terminals, and even serve new city routes that LPTRP will open beginning June 12, too.
There are 13 new routes that would be serviced by 553 authorized units, said Parcon. These are the following:
* Ungka – Iloilo City via Diversion / Festive Walk Transport Hub Loop (26 units)
* Ungka – Iloilo City Proper via CPU (55 units)
* Calaparan Calumpang – Iloilo Proper (40 units)
* Festive Walk Transport Hub – Iloilo City Proper via SM City (69 units)
* Villa Baybay to Iloilo City Proper via Bonifacio (25 units)
* Molo – Iloilo City Proper via Baluarte Loop (nine units)
* Hibao-an-Iloilo City Proper via Tabucan / Festive Walk Transport Hub (38 units)
* Mandurriao – Molo via Festive Walk Transport Hub Loop (20 units)
* La Paz – Iloilo City Proper via ISAT-U (63 units)
* Tagbak – Iloilo City Proper (68 units)
* Mohon – Infante Loop (39 units)
* Compania – Iloilo City Proper Loop (21 units)
* Lanit – SM City via NIA/Jalandoni (80 units)
Parcon said modernized and traditional jeepneys of their cooperative would be mobilized until all their ordered modernized jeepneys would have been delivered. Only then would the traditional jeepneys be permanently decommissioned, he stressed.
WVTC ordered a total of 600 units of modernized jeepneys. Parcon said there were delays in their bank loan.
“Sa gin-approve sang Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for the LTPRP, may ara kita nagabyahe 24 hours nga mga units,” said Parcon./PN
