- CHERYL G. CRUZ
There are only 53 modernized jeepney units, involving five routes, still to be awarded by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board for Bacolod City, under its Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP).
The five routes without takers include the Paglaum-Libertad Loop with 10 units available, Alangilan-Burgos route 10 units, Doña Juliana-Central Market Loop 13 units, Bredco Port-North Bus Terminal 10 units, and Cegasco-Government Center with 10 units, the city PIO said.
As of Nov. 10, the LTFRB already awarded 1,046 of the 1,099 modernized PUJs authorized to ply the 24 routes in Bacolod, based on its LPTRP and in support to the government’s PUV Modernization Program, with full-scale implementation set on April 1, 2023.
By Nov. 15, the city said that 175 units of modern PUJs will ply the nine routes in Bacolod.
These include the Northbound Terminal-Libertad, Bata-Libertad, Eroreco-Central Market, Punta Taytay-Fr. Ferrero Street, Alijis (RPHS)-Central Market, Mansilingan-Central Market via City Heights, Fortune Towne/Estefania Central Market, San Dionisio-Central Market, and Homesite (PHHC)-Central Market loops.
The other routes with awarded units include Banago-Libertad, Pepsi-Bata-BCGC, Shopping-Northbound Terminal, Shopping-Libertad via USLS, Shopping-Libertad via San Agustin, Tangub-South Capitol Road, Airport Subdivision-South Capitol Road, Taculing-Central Market, Handumanan-Libertad, and Granada-Burgos loops.
The operators and drivers of traditional jeeps with expired franchises in Bacolod, who stopped operations Monday and Tuesday following an LTO crackdown, have been given a two-week reprieve starting Nov. 9 to continue plying their routes, but with the condition that they start complying with the PUVMP, like becoming members of groups or cooperatives that are already compliant to the program.
Within the two-week “ceasefire”, these drivers and operators should submit their papers and deeds of undertaking for consolidation, so that the LTFRB could process and issue provisional authority to them.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, who relayed the “ceasefire” decision, told the drivers and operators that the PUV Modernization Program is a national law, and the city cannot circumvent it.
He later said in radio reports that more than 2,000 drivers/operators of traditional PUJs could be affected once the modernization program will be fully implemented in 2023. He added that about 550 traditional jeeps, with valid franchises until next year, will also abide by the PUVMP.
The program aims to replace old jeepneys and buses with air-conditioned units powered by more environment-friendly fuels, and those equipped with a cashless payment system and GPS tracking device./CGC
