By IME SORNITO and GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – From today onwards, 2,629 traditional jeepneys in Western Visayas are deemed colorum or unauthorized to operate for failing to consolidate into a cooperative or corporation.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) would enforce regulations to prevent them from operating, said Atty. Salvador Altura, officer-in-charge of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 6.
The LTFRB central office had decided not to extend the two-week grace period (May 1 to 15) given to traditional jeepney operators to consolidate to be able to continue their operation.
The enforcement timing by the DOTr remains uncertain, however, as it requires further orders or memoranda to be issued to all attached agencies, such as the Land Transportation Office (LTO), to make them aware of this law enforcement requirement.
Altura said operators and drivers of these unconsolidated jeepneys would be operating at their own risk and could face impoundment of their vehicles if caught.
To help passengers and law enforcement identify non-compliant units, stickers indicating the route and the cooperative or corporation affiliation are being placed on consolidated jeepneys.
Furthermore, Altura revealed that LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz had ordered the issuance of show cause orders to the operators of these 2,629 units, demanding explanations for not joining the consolidation process. These orders are expected to be issued within the week.
In Iloilo City, about 1, 692 jeepneys were consolidated into cooperatives, or 75 percent, out of 2,266 total traditional units, data from LTFRB-6 showed. Hence, there are about 500 unconsolidated jeepneys.
The LTFRB-6, LTO-6, and the city government’s Traffic Management Unit are coordinating on installing stickers to consolidated jeepneys for easy identification.
LTFRB-6 also required all transport cooperatives and corporations to submit a list of their traditional units still plying the streets.
In a related development, the city government is implementing its enhanced route plan despite calls for the postponement of its enforcement.
Retired Police Colonel Uldarico Garbanzos, head of the city’s Traffic Management Unit, had told reporters he had discussed with officials of LTFRB-6, transport cooperatives, and the Iloilo provincial government several issues hounding the program.
Joint enforcement teams will be conducting operations against unconsolidated jeepneys plying the streets.
Councilor Romel Duron had urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to postpone the implementation of the modernization program.
In his privileged speech during the City Council’s session last week, Duron cited the lack of proper mechanisms, training, and government support for the transport cooperatives.
While LTFRB-6 reported a 72.2 percent franchise consolidation rate, the councilor said the transport coop officials told him about their dismal state under the fleet management system.
In Iloilo City, the DOTr approved 25 rationalized routes.
Out of 2,535 traditional jeepneys in the city, the DOTr authorized 1,782 modern jeepneys to ply these 25 approved rationalized routes comprising old and new routes.
Duron said the 1,782 have been allocated to 14 transport cooperatives and two corporations.
The transport cooperatives were given only one year to comply with the required number of allocated mini-buses.
“But until now, there are only 520 modernized units operating in Iloilo City. So that’s more or less than one-third of modern units operating,” said Duron./PN
