BACOLOD City – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 6 confirmed yesterday that they have not yet received any order from their central office to apprehend traditional public utility jeepneys (PUJs) that have not consolidated.
The LTO-6’s announcement came in response to the expiry of the provisional authority given to traditional PUJs on Dec. 31, 2023, as well as to last Thursday’s protest by the Bacolod Alliance for Commuters, Operators and Drivers Inc. (BACOD) at the LTO-Bacolod office in Sitio Manayawsayaw, Barangay Mansilingan here.
Riza Otayde, LTO-6 public information officer, said they are conducting a routine inspection of the vehicle’s registration and only apprehended vehicles operating with expired registrations.
She said they will continue to apprehend both public and private vehicles violating traffic rules and regulations.
The LTO-6 has also carried out massive apprehensions targeting “colorum” vehicles since November 2023 and is strictly adhering to a “no registration, no travel” policy.
On Dec. 28, 2023, BACOD president Rudy Catedral demanded a clear answer from LTO-Bacolod City chief Renato Novero whether or not traditional PUJs are allowed to continue operating in the city.
Catedral said they are confused about continuing to ply their routes despite the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) announcement that unconsolidated transport groups are allowed to continue operations until this month under the updated guidelines on the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.
The LTFRB granted a one-month grace period after the deadline for PUV consolidation lapsed on Dec. 31, 2023.
However, Catedral said they were told that they will be apprehended if they continue to operate.
“Nagalingin ang ulo sang aton driver-operators kung maano sila,” he said.
To recall, a majority of traditional jeepney operators decided to halt their operations on Dec. 28 fearing that they could be apprehended by the LTO for operating as colorum, especially that fines for operating a colorum vehicle could reach as high as P50,000.
Catedral also questioned the LTO and the Bacolod City Government on why another local transport group, the Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Negros, was allowed to operate their traditional PUV units after the consolidation deadline lapsed.
“Kami ya gin-warning-an. Sila ya wala. Ang gusto namon matabu dapat i-implementar ang layi. [Dapat] palarehas,” he stressed. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
