ILOILO — The Metro Iloilo Transport Service Cooperative (MITSCOOP) is backing the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 6’s intensified crackdown on overloading in public utility jeepneys (PUJs), vowing to strictly enforce the so-called “Anti-Sardinas Policy” amid surging commuter demand with the opening of classes.
Designed to curb the unsafe practice of allowing too many passengers—often likened to sardines in a can—the policy limits standing riders to five per unit, a rule that MITSCOOP says it is closely monitoring among its member drivers and operators.
“We’re monitoring them already. We have a group chat and we disseminated the LTFRB memorandum issued in 2022. Only five standing passengers are allowed,” said MITSCOOP chairperson Annabelle Fale.
The cooperative, which oversees several modernized PUJ units in Iloilo, is coordinating with LTO-6 to implement inspections and sanctions. Violators caught with excess standing passengers will be penalized.
“Rush hours used to be a problem, but now they’re following the rules. If they disobey and go ‘sardinas’ again, they’ll be the ones to pay the price,” Fale warned.
She added that both drivers and Passenger Assistance Officers (PAOs), who serve as onboard conductors or inspectors, have been reminded of the regulations. “Actually, we’ve already talked to our drivers and PAOs about this,” she said.
LTO-6 director Atty. Gaudioso Geduspan II earlier said the regional office is stepping up monitoring not only during the day but also in the evening to address overloading violations more effectively. He reiterated that only five standing passengers are allowed, unless PAOs or inspectors are present, in which case the maximum is seven.
“We haven’t received any order increasing the standing capacity to 10. So we are sticking with five,” Geduspan stressed.
Fale also assured the riding public that MITSCOOP’s fleet is regularly maintained and supervised by trained mechanics and operations managers.
“We have a motor pool and a tireman who inspects and repairs tires. We also have on-call specialists for things like air conditioning,” she said.
The cooperative urged commuters not to pressure drivers to violate standing limits, saying discipline from both operators and passengers is key to safer travel.
“Passengers shouldn’t insist on boarding when the vehicle is already full. They sometimes force their way in, but now they can’t do that anymore if the LTO enforces the rules strictly. We must follow their directive,” Fale said.
The Anti-Sardinas Drive is part of a broader push by the LTO and transport groups to instil discipline and promote safety in public transport systems. LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II earlier ordered all regional offices to sustain the campaign in anticipation of increased ridership during the school season./PN
