ILOILO City – The city government is confident that its enhanced Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) would be approved before this year ends.
The plan got positive feedback from Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) officer-in-charge (OIC) Riza Marie Paches, according to Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) head Jeck Conlu.
“Ga-agree na and favorable na ya si OIC chair sa aton nga gin-enhance nga LPTRP. It’s more on… daw waay ya na gid bala gina-question… napaathag na sa iya kag okay man siya. Kay kon indi sila maathagan, indi nila pag–e-endorse sa (Department of Transportation),” said Conlu.
During their LTPRP presentation, Conlu said, they laid down to Paches what transpired since the implementation of the original route plan, why it was suspended, and the public consultations.
“We explained to them that during the implementation, may nakita nga mga gaps and the city government and LTFRB acknowledged these. We were asked ngaa wala niyo daan nakita. We explained that first, majority of the whole process was done during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was consultation but limited,” Conlu explained.
He is confident that the LTFRB will favorably endorse the city’s route plan to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
Once approved by the DOTr, it will be officially turned over to the city government through Mayor Jerry Treñas who, in turn, will endorse it to the Sangguninang Panlungsod for the amendment of the city’s LPTRP ordinance.
Conlu, meantime, explained that from “modified” or “amended,” they changed the term to “enhanced” route plan as per instruction from the LTFRB because modification or amendment can only be done two years after the implementation.
The enhanced route plan of the city has 25 routes, most of which are currently being operated.
Conlu added that the city government is eyeing to relaunch and fully implement the enhanced route plan by first quarter of next year.
He noted that before this year ends, there will be additional 150 units of modernized jeepneys to arrive in the city, aside from the existing 120 units currently operating.
Moreover, by the first quarter of 2023, an additional 400 units are also expected to arrive.
“Before yearend of next year, ang gina-require sang LPTRP naton is 1,767 units, at least 80 percent sina dapat ma-deliver sang mga transport cooperatives,” said Conlu.
For the relaunching next year, the PSTMO head said, LTFRB OIC Paches expressed intention to visit the city to see the LTPRP implementation.
Meanwhile, Treñas also expressed confidence that the city’s route plan will finally get the approval.
Once it is approved, he said he will lift the suspension of the existing LPTRP ordinance.
“Ang report sa akon it was received favorably and they will be coming here next year to give us already the amended LPTRP. Daw waay kita problema pag-present didto, daw naintindihan nila,” said Treñas.
“You know, in governance, we always have to think out-of-the-box because ang pangabuhi indi lang tanan black and white. Rules are made for men and therefore, and if they feel nga daw kulang or kinanglan may pangitaan paagi para mas maayo pa gid ang pag-implement then I think we should all be open to it,” the city mayor added./PN
