ILOILO City – The city government sees the approval of its enhanced route plan soon.
According to Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, it’s just a matter of time that the Local Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) is approved considering that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) central office got a new chairman.
Atty. Teofilo E. Guadiz III replaced Engr. Riza Marie Paches last month. He will personally turnover the enhanced LPTRP to the city government, the city mayor said.
“Ginpabalo kita nga waay na to sang problema, that it will be approved. It is just a question of time kay nagkambyo sang chairman ang LTFRB,” said Treñas.
The original route plan was suspended last year following adverse public reactions to the inconveniences it brought. Modifications were subsequently proposed to the traffic plan, subject to LTFRB’s approval.
“Ako daw gadali naman kay, ti, ang mga lain-lain nga mga transport cooperatives nagapangayo man nga pa-implement ta na,” said Treñas.
Meanwhile, Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) head Jeck Conlu said once approved, they are eyeing to implement the route plan again by the first quarter of this year.
But prior to this, as instructed by the city mayor, the PSTMO will conduct a month-long information dissemination about the enhanced LPTRP.
“Ma-conduct kita massive information dissemination. It means to say nga mabalik kita gihapon sa ginkadtuan naton (during consultations) kag ipahibalo sila nga na-approve na to ang gin-discuss naton sa ila,” Conlu said.
Conlu said they are also hoping that the city’s LPTRP approval will coincide with the Iloilo province’s route plan approval so that both the commuters from the city and province will simultaneously adjust once implemented.
Conlu noted that as of last week of December, there were a total of 241 modernized jeepneys operating in different routes in the city.
Early this year, 500 more modernized jeepney units are expected to arrive.
Before this year ends, the total target for Iloilo City routes is 1,767 modernized jeepneys.
The enhanced route plan of the city has 25 routes, most of which are currently being operated./PN
