ILOILO City – For out-of-the-city-based public utility vehicles (PUVs) to re-enter and ply Iloilo City routes again, they may have a better chance of favorable consideration by the Department of Transportation (DoTR) if the request is done by Iloilo province and when it is incorporated on its own Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP).
This was the response/comment of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 6 regional director Richard Osmeña to the request of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas to allow the entry of jeepneys from Oton, Pavia and Leganes in the city.
According to Osmeña, the Iloilo City LPTRP is now in place and that of the Iloilo province is still subject for DoTR review.
He cited a remedy under DoTR Department Order No. 2017-011 which provides the following:
● Cities and municipalities shall be responsible for collecting data, analyzing public transport supply and demand, and identifying specific public transport supply gaps for travel within their territories and for capturing this in the city and municipal public transport plans.
● Provincial government shall be responsible for collecting data, analyzing public transport supply and demand, and identifying specific public transport supply gaps for travel between component cities and municipalities within the province and for capturing this in provincial public transport plans.
● Identification of public transport supply gaps and public transportation planning between and among independent cities, provinces, and regions not covered under 3.1.2 and 3.1.3 shall be the responsibility of the department.
Meanwhile, Osmeña reiterated that their office operates based on certain regulatory framework .
He cited that with particular reference to public utility jeepney operations in Iloilo City, the basic regulatory framework is the LPTRP which the city has adopted as an ordinance.
“Conformably with this LPTRP, entry of out-of-the-city-based PUVs into the city of Iloilo is not allowed. Accordingly, the franchises of these PUVs were modified with respect to their old routes which included thoroughfares within the city of Iloilo,” Osmeña added.
He also noted under the DoTR Department Order No. 2017-011, local government units may propose modifications in route for review and approval of the LTFRB and the DoTR. The proposals for route modifications should include the rationale or justification for the changes.
He also stressed that LTFRB-6 is not in the position to act on Treñas’ request to allow the entry of provincial jeepneys.
“We also take note of your previous draft LPTRP submissions to the DoTR which were denied on the ground that it included routes for PUVs operating outside the territorial territorial jurisdiction of Iloilo City,” he added./PN
