• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Four new public utility jeepney (PUJ) routes are being proposed in Bacolod City, including the Sum-ag/Bacolod Negros Occidental Economic Highway to Silay Airport Terminal Loop that already received a favorable endorsement from the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The other proposed routes that will undergo further discussions by concerned stakeholders include the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) to South Capitol Road Loop, Cabug to Libertad Loop, and Arao/Abada Iskay to Gatuslao Street Loop.
Eduardo Asis Jr., chairperson of the Asenso Bacolod Transport Cooperative, in his letter to Councilor Dindo Ramos, chairperson of the SP Committee in Transportation and Traffic, said the Sum-ag/BANOCEH to Silay Airport Terminal Loop would run from Sum-ag Bangga Bagong Dalan to BANOCEH to Bacolod Airport Access Road to Airport Terminal, and vice versa.
The BCGC to South Capitol Road Loop would traverse, from BCGC North Road to Circumferential Road, C. L. Montelibano Street, Narra Extension Street, Narra 6th Street, Lacson Street, North Capitol Road, San Juan Street, to South Capitol Road, and vice versa.
The proposed Cabug to Libertad Loop would crisscross Cabug Deca Homes, Circumferential Road, Bangga Cory, Hernaez/Libertad Street Extension, Libertad Market, Mabini Street, Lizares Street, Amelia Avenue, Lopez Jaena Street, Libertad/Hernaez Street, and Libertad Extension.
The proposed Arao/Abada Iskay to Gatuslao Street PUJ route, meanwhile, would loop from Yuhum Village II, Abada Iskay Road, Bangga Bagul, Burgos Extension Street, Burgos to Hilado Street, Rizal, to Gatuslao Street and vice versa.
“Progress is inevitable as public transport modernization finally began its consolidation…(and) the creation of new or developmental routes constitutes betterment,” Asis stressed.
Bacolod’s Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP), with 24 routes and 1,099 PUJ units, was approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in 2022.
The LPTRP is part of the transport modernization program “to provide safe, adequate, accessible, environment-friendly, and comfortable public transport to the public and a long-term solution to the worsening public transportation situation.”
In April this year, Bacolod’s Planning and Development Office held a consultation on plans to update the LPTRP to suit current transport situation in the highly-urbanized city.
Last month, the LTFRB central office re-surveyed PUJs in Bacolod to address issues on PUV modernization, and assess the transportation needs in the city. | CGC
