BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has approved the route plan of Jordan, Guimaras, providing the municipality with the opportunity to enhance its public transportation.
The LTFRB issued Board Resolution No.089 approving Jordans’ local public transport route plan (LPTRP) in recognition of the town’s “better position to identify the road networks and demand points in their locality.”
“After the submitted LPTRPs were reviewed and evaluated by the duly designated DOTr and LTFRB personnel, the same was found to have satisfactorily complied with the set criteria and guidelines for the issuance of a notice of compliance,” read the LTFRB resolution signed by Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III, Engr. Riza Marie Paches, and lawyer Mercy Jane Leynes.
The agency also granted the municipality one PUJ route and 11 modern units.
The LTFRB asked the municipality to enact an ordinance, which will be the basis for the issuance of franchises and implementation of the route plan.
The approval of Jordan’s route plan is projected to improve the town’s connectivity, economic growth, environmental sustainability, and improved quality of life for residents.
Of the six provinces in Western Visayas, five have submitted LPTRPs, and only Guimaras secured the approval of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The LTFRB-6 recently said the route plans of various cities and municipalities in Western Visayas have received low approval rates from the DOTr.
LPTRP, one of the 10 components under the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), is
Likewise, only 10 cities among the 14 cities in the region have submitted their LPTRPs. Of the 10 cities, the DOTr approved only three cities.
The LTFRB-6 received 76 submissions and evaluated 59 LPTRPs. However, the LTFRB Central Office has approved only two LPTRPs for implementation.
The agency noted the drafting of the LPTRP by various towns and cities has faced several challenges leading to its low approval rate from the LTFRB Central Office and the DOTr.
Lawyer Salvador Altura, LTFRB-6 Hearing Officer, earlier said the low approval rate could be attributed to the delays in the resubmission of proposed LPTRPs by LGUs to give them more time to revise it.
He also noted that the LTFRB has no control over LGUs to force them to draft and complete their route plan.
But he said the Department of the Interior and Local Government is not requiring LGUs to have their LPTRP to qualify for the Seal of Good Local Governance award.
Drafting and submitting the LPTRP involves several steps, from initial planning to final approval.
It also includes the conduct of a comprehensive assessment of the current public transport system and the gathering of data on passenger demand, existing routes, traffic patterns, and infrastructure.
The LGU will submit the LPTRP to the LTFRB, which will then forward it to the DOTr for evaluation and approval.
The LGU’s draft route includes all necessary documentation, including technical analyses, stakeholder consultation reports, and LGU endorsements.
The DOTr reviews the submitted LPTRP for compliance with national policies and standards. The agency may also conduct its assessment to ensure the plan’s feasibility and potential benefits.
If the DOTr approves the LPTRP, it provides the necessary authorization for implementation. However the submitted route plan requires revisions, and the DOTr provides feedback and requests modifications. The revised plan is resubmitted to the DOTr for final approval.
The DOTr approves LPTRPs of HUCs or provinces, while the LTFRB Central Office is responsible for approving the plans of component cities or municipalities. The LTFRB in Western Visayas reported a 72.2 percent franchise consolidation rate./PN
