BY MARY JOY CAVAÑAS
ILOILO City – The highly anticipated implementation of Iloilo City’s “enhanced” Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) has been pushed to next year.
While the city government had aimed to execute the LPTRP before the close of 2023, recent developments have led to a delay.
Mayor Jerry Treñas said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) recently granted provisional authority to traditional jeepneys.
“We intended to enforce it immediately. However, with the current provisional permissions, the scenario remains unchanged,” said Treñas.
Under the national government’s public transport modernization program on which the LPTRP is based, modernized jeepneys would be taking over the city’s streets; traditional jeepneys are phased out.
On a positive note, Treñas said the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) is on the verge of finalizing the strategic locations for jeepney passenger loading and unloading zones across the city.
“Come Jan. 2, 2024 all provisional permissions (of traditional jeepneys) will expire. In the interim, we’re gearing up. You’ll notice road signs, markings, and other preparations,” said Treñas.
The enhanced LPTRP will introduce 17 streamlined routes, an innovative developmental path, and seven additional developmental routes.
Under this plan, the city will require 1,782 modernized jeepney units to be authorized for operations.
At present, the city has approximately 500 units running. However, PSTMO assures that with the LPTRP’s full implementation, there will be ample modernized jeepneys to cater to the commuting public./PN
