By Joseph B.A. Marzan
Fresh from extending the suspension of implementing the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) of the city, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas warned that this may become indefinite if the national government refuses to act on it.
In his regular press conference, Treñas said he may have reached a “stalemate” with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agency, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) over the proposed revisions to the LPTRP.
He even teased that if the agencies will not act upon their query, he may have to suspend the LPTRP implementation forever.
“It wasn’t something that was initiated by the LGU. We are just implementing [the national government’s programs. We are trying our best to make [the LPTRP] palatable to the people, but we cannot allow something being swallowed already to be rammed down our throats. I won’t allow that,” the mayor stated.
As to how this will impact the city’s transport sector, the mayor simply said that they should “rally to the DOTr and the LTFRB.”
Engr. Joshua Gaquit, LTFRB-Region 6’s LPTRP spokesperson, told Daily Guardian that they support the city government’s changes, however, these remain pending with the LTFRB’s central office.
Gaquit reiterated the mayor’s statement that the LTFRB regional office would join city government officials in meeting with the LTFRB officer-in-charge, Engr. Riza Marie Paches, to follow up on the city government’s request and to possibly explain the plan’s revisions.
Gaquit stated that their joining the city officials in the meeting was to show support for the proposed LPTRP updates.
“We met with the Iloilo City’s technical working group [on the LPTRP] last week, and we came up with an agreement because we at the LTFRB want to help them as well to fast-track their [LPTRP] approval. We decided to go to Manila when we do get a schedule with [Paches] within the week or next week,” Gaquit said in a phone interview.
The LPTRP was first implemented in Iloilo City on June 12 via City Regulation Ordinance No. 2022-027 approved by the mayor on January 28 and was suspended starting on July 7 via Executive Order No. 1 issued on July 1.
This latest suspension is the third extension done by the mayor, after prior extensions issued in August and October.
