Modern jeeps for city hall employees

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

After personally experiencing the comfort of riding modernized jeepneys, Mayor Jerry Treñas said he plans to purchase three units in 2020 for convenient and easy transportation of city hall employees.

“Target naton sa next year. These jeeps will provide easy transportation for our street sweepers, traffic aides, and personnel of City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) and beautification program of the city to their places of assignment,” Treñas said in a text message he sent Wednesday.

Treñas said he is impressed with the features and facilities of the modern jeepneys.

“I was impressed with the specs of the modern jeepneys for it is airconditioned, has handrails, has CCTV cameras and has 30-passenger capacity. The brand of the jeepney was City Optimized Managed Electric Transport (COMET),” he said.

In November, seven fully air-conditioned modernized jeepneys of Iloilo City Alliance Operators and Drivers Transport Cooperative (ICAODTC) started plying the streets of the metro to service the route from Iloilo Terminal and General Services Inc. (ITGSI) terminal in Barangay Ungka, Jaro district going to the City Proper via Jaro CPU and vice versa.

Rizal Alido, president of City Loop Integrated Alliance of Jeepney Owners and Drivers’ Association (CLIAJODA) and board secretary of ICAODTC said modernized jeepney costs more than P2 million and equipped with an Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS) and beep card.

Meanwhile, Treñas said his plan of purchasing modern jeepneys is part of his thrust to level up the services of the city government to its employees.

“This new mode of transportation is one way of leveling our services for our city employees so that they can also serve our people more efficiently,” he said.