BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The two-week reprieve ends today but there will be no apprehension of traditional public utility vehicles without franchises.
This was announced yesterday by Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez, following a closed door meeting with officials of the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board and Department of Transportation
However, traditional PUV operators have to register with the Land Transportation Office as “private vehicle,” Benitez said.
It will be the local government unit that will filter and validate their franchises, the mayor said.
“All traditional PUVs with 2020 franchises will be given temporary permits, or interim service, for them to get insurance, among others,” he added.
The interim permit will last until March next year, Benitez said.
Based on the list of LTFRB, 2,445 PUVs will be given temporary permits, he added.
All of these jeeps must go through the normal process of registration to ensure that all of them are compliant of existing regulations and policy for them to be given interim service, Benitez said.
The mayor said he will also discuss with operators of PUV with franchises, regarding allowing traditional PUVs to ply routes that have not been filled up with modern jeepneys, until March 2023.
Traditional PUV operators earlier agreed to participate in the government transportation modernization. However, they requested that some of the provisions of the modernization program should be either replaced, modified or amended, in order to move forward, Benitez said.
The mayor said they had initial discussions with Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, who gave his assurance that he will review the letter from Benitez it as soon he receives it.
Benitez also announced that drivers and operators of traditional PUVs have agreed not pursue the planned transport strike.
At present, there are only 173 modernized PUVs plying the 20 identified routes in Bacolod City. It is expected that 1,099 modernized jeeps will operate in Bacolod City by April next year.*
