No apprehension of traditional PUJs for two weeks in Bacolod

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Traditional public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and public utility vehicles (PUVs) with no franchise and business permits will be allowed to ply the streets here starting Wednesday, Nov. 9.

This, after the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-6 agreed not to conduct massive apprehensions of these vehicles for two weeks.

However, PUJ operators should submit a deed of undertaking stating that they will comply with the requirements to join a cooperative since only consolidated operators are given provisional authority to operate by the LTFRB.

Transport industry players must form transport service cooperatives (TSCs) to facilitate consolidation and collective ownership of PUVs in preparation for fleet modernization.

The Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) began in June 2017, which aims to phase out traditional jeepneys, and other PUVs at least 15 years old and replace them with more comfortable and environment-friendly vehicles in three years.

Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, said that the LTFRB-6 agreed to have a “ceasefire on apprehension,” through the intercession of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez, who is working from home after he tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

City officials led by Familiaran had a dialogue with various jeepney drivers and operators here at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) yesterday, following the disruption of public transport here from Nov. 7 to 8, due to the checkpoint operations of the LTO and LTFRB-6.

In fact, hundreds of passengers were stranded due to the limited number of modernized PUJs and other vehicles plying the streets in the past two days.

But, with the said dialogue, Familiaran is hoping that it could somehow address the problem. “Puwede sila ka biyahe na, pero may kondisyon,” he added.

Familiaran said the local government cannot do anything with the modernization program being implemented by the national government.

“Kaintsindi kami na gapangabuhi kamo, but sundon ta anay ang directives then ma appeal ta kay indi kami ka bato sa national government,” he added.