BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The 15-day “ceasefire” in apprehending public utility vehicles without franchises by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Bacolod City, is expected to lapse on November 23.
Bacolod LTO chief Renato Novero, however, said they start inspecting and apprehending PUVs without registration starting today, in compliance with orders issued by the LTO regional office.
“We will not check if they have franchises, but only if they have registration,” Novero said.
PUJs caught plying their routes without registration will incur a penalty of P20,000, he added.
Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez met both with drivers and operators of traditional PUVs and representatives of the LTFRB and LTO last week, in connection with the transition phase for modernizing the transport sector.
Benitez asked PUV operators, who did not oppose the modernization program, to itemize their proposals in a letter with their signatures, for submission to the LTO and LTFRB, in order to find a “win-win” solution.
If acceptable to all, then we will move to the transition phase on Monday (Nov. 21), the mayor said, as he saw some valid points raised by the PUV operators and drivers. If they are technically correct, Benitez said he will lobby for their approval.
Benitez said PUV operators want single proprietorship, and not through corporation or cooperative, for a modernized jeepney, at a reduced price.
The Negros Bacolod Transport Coalition reported that a modernized jeep ranges from P2.4 million to P2.6 million.
Under the transportation modernization program which took effect 2017, PUVs 15 years old and above will be phased out, to be replaced by air-conditioned jeepney units powered by more environment-friendly fuels.
Benitez reported that 173 modernized PUVs are presently operating in Bacolod.
Bacolod needs at least 2,000 modern PUVs, he stressed.
In an interview with RMN DYHB, Diego Malacad, secretary general of the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center, said that they may suspend their operations on Nov. 23 if the LTO and LTFRB will resume their apprehension of PUVs without franchises.*
