BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna has assured that the newly established Transport Terminal Inspection Board (TTIB), which will be responsible for overseeing the city’s public transport terminals, will remain free from political pressure.
Interviewed over Aksyon Radyo Iloilo, Cabaluna emphasized that the board’s main goal is to ensure that safety and operational standards are met, prioritizing the welfare and safety of the commuting public.
“They (transport terminals) need to level up their commitment in terms of delivery of their franchise and to provide safe and efficient services to the public,” said Cabaluna, the chairperson of the City Council’s transport committee.
The City Council recently passed the ordinance that created the inspection board to primarily address various issues hounding public terminals amid the implementation of the enhanced Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) of Iloilo City.
It will serve as the policy-making body and will primarily be responsible for the inspection, regulation, and classification of the jeepney terminals and seaports in Iloilo City.
“It shall formulate quality standards that must be complied with to promote and protect the interest and welfare of commuters and riding public,” read Cabaluna’s committee report.
In the interview, Cabaluna also vowed that the board will operate transparently and independently, focusing solely on upholding safety and operational standards for the city’s public transport terminals.
He said the inspection board will be composed of regular employees from various City Hall offices that comprised the board. These include the City Traffic Management Unit, Business Process and Licensing Office, City Health Office, Office of the Building Official, and the City Tourism Office, among others.
“We will ensure that no personal biases in terms of implementing the requirements of standards of terminals,” said Cabaluna.
The councilor said the inspection board will be guided by the memorandum circular of the LTFRB, sanitation code, and other laws concerning the operations of the terminals.
“The first step is to streamline the standards of all requirements provided under several rules and ordinances and inform all stakeholders during inspections,” said Cabaluna.
He added the board would submit the results of the inspection report to the mayor, who would decide on the fate of the terminals.
The board will also set up a feedback mechanism to directly get from commuters to ensure compliance with the newly passed ordinance.
Several public utility jeepney (PUJ) operators in this city have expressed their support to the newly created terminal inspection board.
Rizalito Alido, chairman of the Western Visayas Alliance of Transport Cooperatives and Corporations, Inc. (WVATCCI), voiced confidence the newly approved terminal board will also work closely with PUJ operators, drivers, and other stakeholders to ensure a more organized and efficient flow of traffic.
The creation of the terminal inspection board is part of the city’s broader efforts to improve its terminal management system, especially in light of the growing urbanization and increasing number of vehicles on the road.
Alido stressed that PUJ operators believe that this initiative will help create a more disciplined and orderly traffic and terminal environment, benefiting both the drivers and the commuting public.
The inspection board is seen as a positive step towards addressing the various challenges faced by the city’s transportation sector, such as congestion in terminals during rush hours, enforcement of traffic rules, and the safety of commuters.
In his recent press briefing, Mayor Jerry Treñas acknowledged various issues hounding the public transport terminals, especially during rush hours.
Treñas said he would meet with Ret. Col. Uldarico Garbanzos to reassess numerous complaints from passengers such as dilapidated facilities and stinking toilets.
The city government recently implemented the enhanced route plan despite hesitations from various stakeholders and transport sectors due to a lack of proper mechanisms, training, and government support for the transport cooperatives.
While the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-6) in Western Visayas reported a 72.2 percent franchise consolidation rate, the transport coop officials lamented about their dismal state under the fleet management system.
In Iloilo City, the DOTr approved 25 rationalized routes out of the original 35 routes before the approval of the LPTRP.
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. Some 1,782 of these awarded units have been allocated to 14 transport cooperatives and two corporations./PN
