DOTr ‘most likely’ to approve amended LPTRP in 2023

By John Noel E. Herrera

The city’s amended Local Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) will most likely be approved by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) next year, according to Iloilo City Government.

In his regular press conference on Monday, Treñas also said that the DOTr will visit the city next year to bring the approved LPTRP.

“Pagkadto sa Manila, they (PSTMO head Jeck Conlu and group) presented before the board, ang aton amendments… Ang report sa akon, it was received favorably and they will be coming here next year to give us the amended LPTRP, and daw waay kita problema sang pag-present didto, naintindihan nila,” Treñas said.

Iloilo City Public Safety and Traffic Management Office (PSTMO) head Jeck Conlu also said that they explained during their presentation in Manila the gaps and problems during the initial implementation of LPTRP, and what happened during the two-month consultation.

Conlu added that the Local Transportation and Franchising Board (LTFRB) understood the situation as the LPTRP will be endorsed to the evaluators of DOTr.

“Because nga favorable ang endorsement sang LTFRB, so it means to say nga ma-aprub gid siya ya (LPTRP). Ga-agree na, favorable na ya sila sa aton gin-enhance nga LPTRP. It is more on waay na nila gina-question kung ngaa gid bi atubangon gid ni namon, nakita na nila at napaathagan naman sa ila, so okay naman sa ila, kay ti kung hindi sila maathagan, hindi nila ma-endorse sa DOTr,” Conlu said

The amended LPTRP will also be called “Enhanced LPTRP” and not “modified” when approved, as it can only be modified “after two or three years based on the guidelines.”

“(Enhanced LPTRP) is more on the structure sang ruta bal-an nga nag-extend kita nga daw may mga alagyan (in the first LPTRP) nga hindi maagyan, gin-paagyan na naton sa enhanced LPTRP, just like sa una, from Mohon Terminal asta lang sa Infante Street, now it extended going to Iloilo Terminal Market” Conlu said.

From the proposed 24 routes, the enhanced LPTRP also now has 25 routes after reinstating the “Baluarte Derecho” route that was scrapped in the first LPTRP.

When asked what will happen to the first towns like Oton, Leganes, and Pavia when the city’s enhanced LPTRP is approved, Conlus said that they can still go inside the city provided that their franchise is still valid.

“Yes, wala sa aton sa city, but kung hindi ya expired ang ila franchise, okay lang ya gyapon nga pasudlon ta sila, while waiting sa approval sang route plan sang province,” Conlu said.

Treñas also explained that if the approval is issued before the end of the most recent LPTRP suspension on December 31, the city government will “proceed with the amendment of the ordinance.”

“Bal-an niyo ang nagahatag sang ruta ang City Council, so ang LTFRB may ari ni sila nga aprubahan nila anay, and once ma-approve na to ang amendments, pasa naman sa City Council para ma-amend ang ordinance, amu na ang procedure, and then we proceed to implementation,” the mayor added.

The route plan was first implemented on June 12 through City Regulation No. 2022-027 which was approved by Treñas on January 28.

Since then, the LPTRP was suspended four times already, including the recent extension to Dec 31, 2022.