ILOILO City – Where have all the jeepneys gone?
There was not enough public utility vehicles yesterday, the first day of work for most people as this city opened the week under a general community quarantine. As a result, many employees were stranded at various transport terminals.
They were not able to operate yesterday because they did not have special permits from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 6, according to Raymundo Parcon, president of the Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICLAJODA).
Only 28 modern jeepneys, 30 Ceres buses, and taxis served commuters yesterday.
The queues of passengers waiting for vehicles were long at various transport terminals, particularly in barangays Tagbak and Ungka in Jaro district, Barangay Mohon in Arevalo district and Barangay Hibao-an in Mandurriao district.
Police patrol cars and service vehicles of the city government were forced to transport stranded commuters.
LTFRB-6 director Richard Osmeña said his office did not release special permits because the documentary requirements submitted by jeepney operators were lacking.
“Damo kulang, especially insurance, wala na-renew,” said Osmeña.
Why is the special permit important?
This is a mechanism to ensure that only a limited number of PUVs could operate under a general community quarantine, explained Osmeña.
Mayor Jerry Treñas ordered that only 25 percent of vehicles (per route) could operate in the city.
Iloilo City transitioned from enhanced community quarantine to general community quarantine on May 16.
ICLAJODA’s Parcon expressed confidence that today their jeepneys would be able to operate already. He sought Osmeña’s assurance yesterday to expedite the release of special permits to jeepney operators.
Many jeepney operators were not able to process their papers (such as their expired insurance and registration) during the enhanced community quarantine, said Parcon.
“May mga nagpasa pero expired so ginabalik sa ila,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Treñas listed the following rules that all public utility vehicle drivers, operators and commuters must follow:
* Drivers, conductors and commuters are required to wear facemasks. No facemasks, no ride.
* Fares shall be collected before a passenger boards the vehicle.
* Body temperature of drivers and passengers must be checked.
* Drivers with symptoms similar to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will not be allowed to work and must be brought to the nearest medical facility for checkup.
* Drivers must disinfect their vehicles before and after trips.
* A non-permeable material or acetate must be installed inside the vehicle to separate the driver from passengers.
* Public utility vehicles must take in only 50 percent of their passenger capacity to ensure physical distancing.
Recently, the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) chief Jeck Conlu said there would be adjustments as to the number of jeepneys allowed to operate as may be needed.
As to the jeepney fare, said Conlu, it would be P9 for the first four kilometers and an additional P1.50 for every succeeding kilometer so as not to unduly burden jeepney drivers and operators due to their reduced number of passengers.
This fare adjustment had the nod of the LTFRB-6, said Conlu.
For modern jeepneys, on the other hand, the minimum fare is P11 plus P1.80 for every succeeding kilometer.
For taxis, the fare should still be based on the meter reading.
According to Conlu, the following must also be followed at all times to avoid spreading SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19):
* Inspection stops would be set up by the PSTMO. All jeepneys and taxis must stop in these spots for inspection.
* Social distancing must be observed by passengers.
* Drivers must have money bins where fares are stored.
* Drivers must sanitize their hands after receiving passengers’ fares.
Regarding private vehicles, their drivers and passengers must wear facemask and have disinfectants.
Drivers violating these protocols risk being charged with reckless driving, according to Conlu.
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth./PN
