ILOILO City – More modern jeepneys are poised to ply this city’s streets. The Department of Transportation (DOTr) authorized a public transportation cooperative to acquire a total of 103 modern jeepneys. The supplier will deliver to the Iloilo City Alliance of Operators and Drivers Transport Cooperative (ICAODTC) an initial of five units next week.
“They will start plying the road after the launching before March is over,” said ICAODTC board secretary Rizalito Alido.
ICAODTC is composed of at least 70 Iloilo City jeepney operators, drivers and allied workers such as dispatchers who banded together in preparation for the phase out of passenger jeepneys in line with DOTr’s public transport modernization program.
According to Alido, the initial five units will be plying four routes approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The initial four routes are the following:
* from the Iloilo Terminal and General Services Inc. (ITGSI) terminal in Barangay Ungka, Jaro district going to the City Proper via Jaro CPU and vice versa
* the Jaro CPU Derecho route (from Barangay Sambag, Jaro to the City Proper and vice versa)
* from the ITGSI terminal in Barangay Ungka, Jaro to the City Proper via Diversion Road and vice versa
* from Arevalo district to City Proper and vice versa
The government’s move to modernize Philippine public transport aims to minimize air pollution and improve public transport safety. Most jeepneys are not compliant with smoke emission standards, according to the LTFRB.
The modernization program would be fully implemented by 2020. All passenger jeepneys 15 years old and older will be phased out.
In August last year, LTFRB launched modern jeepneys of Metro Express Connect, Inc. in Iloilo City albeit on three limited routes only. These were: 1) Ceres bus terminal – via C1 road – to Oton, Iloilo at Vista Mall as end point; 2) Pavia transport terminal – via Gorriceta Avenue – to Oton, Iloilo at Vista Mall as end point; and 3) Mohon Terminal – via C1 road – to Oton, Iloilo at Vista Mall as end point.
Each ICAODTC modern jeepney, which costs P2 million, can accommodate 25 passengers.
According to Alido, each month beginning this March, the cooperative would be receiving five units from its supplier until all its 103 units would have been completely delivered.
ICAODTC is the first Iloilo City transport cooperative registered with the Cooperative Development Authority and approved by the Office of Transportation Cooperatives of DOTr on August 2018 after complying with requirements which included at least P300,000 paid up capital, an office and a garage.
As to the fare, Alido said the cooperative would ask LTFRB for an increase from the regular P8.50 to P12 “since the modern jeepneys are air-conditioned.”
ICAODTC envisions a modern way of fare payment, too, (cashless, via swipe cards) but this would come much later, said Alido.
Because ICAODTC is a cooperative, a new compensation scheme would be observed for its modern jeepney drivers and dispatchers. They would be paid monthly salaries in keeping with the wage standards set by the Department of Labor and Employment.
The drivers and dispatchers would also be covered by government-mandated social benefits such those from the Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and Home Development Mutual Fund.
They will also observe regular working hours (eight hours daily) and with overtime pay if necessary./PN
