ILOILO City – To ensure a smooth and systematic entry of 40 percent of jeepneys from Iloilo Province’s “first towns” into Iloilo City during peak hours and 25 percent during off-peak hours, an agreement was signed by the Iloilo provincial government, Iloilo City government, and transport cooperatives and corporations on Friday morning at the Governor’s Board Room of the Iloilo provincial capitol.
The signatories included Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., Iloilo City Traffic Management Unit (ICTMU) head Uldarico Garbanzos, representatives from “first town” local government units (Oton, San Miguel, Pavia, and Leganes) and transport cooperatives.
The transport cooperatives are the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative (WVTC), Pavia Iloilo Jeepney Owners and Drivers Transport Cooperative (PIJODTC), Alliance of Provincial Operators and Drivers Transport Cooperative (APODTC), Iloilo City Alliance Operators and Drivers Transport Cooperative (ICAODTC), Aerostar Transport Cooperative, and Metro Iloilo Transport Service Cooperative.
This agreement is the outcome of a meeting held on June 3 where the provincial government, city government through ICTMU, and the transport sector agreed to allow 40 percent of jeepneys per route from “first towns” to enter the city during peak hours.
Under the agreement, all “first town” transport cooperatives are required to submit their dispatch plans/schedules from their point of origin to their specific routes on a weekly basis.
Forty percent of consolidated first town PUJs with stickers can enter the city during peak hours (6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to midnight), while only 25 percent can enter during off-peak hours.
On Saturdays, 40 percent of jeepneys can enter the city for the entire day. During Sundays and holidays, 100 percent of “first town” jeepneys are allowed entry.
The agreement also stipulates that jeepneys are not permitted to load or pick up passengers while inbound to their destinations. Outbound units can only pick up passengers in designated loading and unloading areas.
Prolonged stops or “paugat”, creation of mini terminals, and trip cutting are strictly prohibited.
Present during the signing were Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board – Region 6 officer-in-charge Atty. Salvador Altura, Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, and Provincial Planning and Development Office head Mario Nillos. /PN
