• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Data from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) showed that 74.8 percent of public transport operators in Bacolod City have already consolidated in line with the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), Councilor Al Victor Espino said Sept. 11.
Espino, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Transportation and Traffic, told his colleagues during their regular session Sept. 11 that the consolidation percentage was as per the LTFRB conference in Manila Sept. 9 that he and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran had attended.
The Bacolod Modernized Transport Jeepney Association (BMJTA) confirmed such data, and urged the SP to “continue supporting the PTMP and avoid any further delays or suspensions that would hinder our progress.”
Marcelo Ochia, assistant fleet operation manager of Peoples Jeep Bacolod, and BMJTA spokesperson, appeared before the SP and stressed that suspending the PTMP “would undermine the investments and efforts of the majority (in the transport industry) that already embraced modernization.”
Ochia and other association officers and members said they have “fully embraced and greatly benefited from the program,” adding that BMJTA is comprised of six corporations and five cooperatives, employing 1,693 individuals and engaging 490 stakeholders.
“As of today, 74.84 percent of Bacolod public transport operators have consolidated under the PTMP, and this significant percentage demonstrates the program’s widespread acceptance and the willingness of operators to modernize their services,” Ochia said.
He stressed that if there is another suspension of the program, “it will seriously undermine the trust and confidence of operators, who have already made substantial commitments, and they stand to lose their investments and livelihood.”
Ochia said traditional jeepneys that remain unconsolidated continue to pose significant risks to road safety and passenger security. “To prioritize the welfare of passengers and ensure public safety, we must phase out these unsafe vehicles.”
He said the modernization of public transport is not just an option, but a necessity for Bacolod’s sustainable development. “BMJTA firmly believes that this program is vital to addressing climate change, ensuring public safety, creating jobs, and improving the overall experience for the riding public.”
Ochia said that under the Bacolod Local Public Transport Route Plan, there are 1,059 units awarded by the LTFRB to modernized jeepneys, and as of now, 590 air-conditioned PUJs are plying the streets of the city.
There are also traditional jeepneys that have consolidated, or applying for consolidation, that were granted provisional authority to continue operating.
The Department of Transportation earlier clarified that the PTMP will be done in phases. DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said there will be no immediate phase out of traditional jeepneys.
Consolidation of PUV operators and drivers is the first component of the PMTP, followed by route rationalization, and then the actual modernization, the DOTr said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last month disagreed with calls to postpone the PTMP implementation, saying the “transport modernization has been postponed for seven times (already).”
Marcos said in an interview that those that have been objecting to the PTMP are the minority. “Eighty percent have already consolidated. So paano…’yung 20 percent ang mag-de-decide nang buhay ng 100 percent? Pakinggan natin ‘yung majority, at ang majority sinasabi, ituloy natin. So that’s what we will do.” | CGC
