The Vallacar Transit Inc., operator of Ceres buses, has asked Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson to endorse and support its application before the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board that its units be allowed to ply beyond the Negros Occidental borders.
LTFRB-Western Visayas Regional Director Richard Osmeña said Lacson’s endorsement is a requisite before a special permit is granted to the transport firm for it to resume operations outside Negros Occidental.
VTI chief operating officer Hernan Omecillo, in his letter to Lacson, assured the governor that the company will strictly enforce stringent health and sanitary measures in its operations in compliance to all health protocols imposed by the local government units.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz, who met Friday last week with VTI representatives as well as managers of the north and south Ceres Liner bus terminals, said that the company asked the approval of Lacson to allow Ceres buses to operate and travel directly from Bacolod to other destinations outside the province such as Cebu via Tabuelan and San Carlos ports, Dumaguete City via Mabinay, San Carlos, Bayawan City, Zamboanga City via Dumaguete City, Canlaon City via San Carlos City and La Castellana, and its new routes Sipalay City to Cebu City, vice versa.
“Once we are clear of the details,” Diaz said Lacson will issue what the transport firm is requesting.
It was also agreed during the meeting that there will be no pick up or unloading of passengers along the road, except at designated bus terminals in order to effectively implement tracking and surveillance system, Diaz said.
He said that the VTI management will have to ensure that bus passengers entering Negros Occidental shall comply with all the requirements, adding that they will also deploy health personnel in two bus terminals to check the health conditions of arriving passengers, among others.
Omecillo said that VTI is a grantee of Certificates of Public Convenience to operate and to engage in the business of land transportation particularly along the routes from Bacolod City to Cebu City, Zamboanga City, Dumaguete City, Canlaon City and from Sipalay City to Cebu City, with 165 units. – GB
