ILOILO City – After nearly four hours of negotiations yesterday, an agreement was reached between the Iloilo provincial and city governments, transport cooperatives, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 6.
Forty percent of consolidated jeepney units from the “first towns” of Pavia, San Miguel, Oton, and Leganes would be allowed to enter Iloilo City during peak hours, and 25 percent during off-peak hours.
The negotiations held at Casa Real de Iloilo (old provincial capitol) involved Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.; retired police colonel Uldarico Garbanzos who now heads the Iloilo City Traffic Management Unit (ICTMU), and City Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s transportation committee.
The city government previously insisted that only 25 percent of the “first town” jeepneys will be allowed entry to the city during peak hours, with an additional buffer of 15 percent.
Pavia, San Miguel, Oton, and Leganes are called “first towns” for being Iloilo province’s closest municipalities to Iloilo City; each of them shares common borders with the metro. This nearness to the city means the trip distance of their jeepneys to the metro is very short, which in turn means their income is small. Not allowing them to enter the city means a further reduction in their already paltry daily revenues.
The new agreement will allow 40 percent, provided that these “first town” jeepneys adhere to the city government’s prerequisites, which include following a dispatching plan, returning to their origin without looping within the city and competing with City Loop jeepneys for passengers, and using designated loading and unloading stops.
Governor Defensor emphasized the importance of compliance with these conditions to avoid negative impacts on the city’s transport groups. He also committed to expediting the approval of the province’s Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to establish clear guidelines for future provincial transport operations.
Following the agreement, the planned Day 2 (June 4) of the two-day transport holiday by the “first town” jeepneys, which began on Monday, Jun e 3, was called off.
The provincial government, through the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO), will monitor the implementation of the 40 percent entry rule to make necessary adjustments and ensure harmony with City Loop jeepneys.
Defensor reiterated that the objective of this arrangement is to provide adequate transportation for commuters working in the city, without causing excessive congestion.
He also urged “first town” jeepneys to cooperate by adhering to the city’s traffic rules and regulations./PN
