Manila to bat for suspension of Divisoria-Baclaran PUJ route

MANILA, Philippines —The  City of Manila will ask the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to suspend the Baclaran-Divisoria jeepney route line due to numerous reports of drivers who cut trips.

“We will file a suspension before the LTFRB. I will not be the complainant. It will be the City of Manila, the city government of Manila will file a suspension of the entire Baclaran-Divisoria line,”  Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said in a press conference on Tuesday.

“I hope, with our enough justification, ayoko naman pangunahan ang LTFRB, kung ano naman ang magiging pasya nila, but we will be the complainant, the people of Manila, and the city government of Manila, will be the complainant at the LTFRB,” he added.

Moreno said that his office continues to receive reports of jeepney drivers cutting short their trips despite the clearing of Divisoria of illegal vendors.

Should the LTFRB suspend the route, public utility jeepneys won’t be allowed to travel directly between the two high-traffic areas.

Moreno bared that the complaint is now being drafted following his meeting with LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra at the Manila City Hall.

Following the pending suspension of Divisoria-Baclaran line, Moreno warned drivers and operators serving other routes.

“MCU-Blumentritt, wag niyo na hintayin na kayo ang isunod namin. Cubao-Divisoria, Maypajo-Juan Luna, Faura-PedroGil, Paco, kayo ang mga nirereklamo, maraming nagrereklamo sa inyo. Velasquez, sa Tondo na lang yun ah, ipinagkakait pa natin. Ilang bloke na lang iyon,” he said.

“I’m not after the penalty. I am after the order. I am trying to reach out to more people as possible,” he stressed.

Before assuming the post as Manila mayor, Moreno warned jeepney drivers that he would suspend their franchises if they cut trips.

He also personally appealed to them to ditch the habit and to think the welfare and safety of commutes. /gsg