PUV crackdown in Bacolod suspended for 2 weeks

BACKGROUND PHOTO FROM NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

BACOLOD CITY — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Tuesday, Nov. 8, agreed to a two-week “ceasefire” with drivers and operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) plying in this city without franchises and provisional authority.

These drivers were not given the permits due to their operators’ non-compliance with the government’s PUV modernization program, according to Bacolod Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran.

“There is nothing we can do about it because the PUV Modernization Program is covered by a national law,” said Familiaran. He made the statement on behalf of Mayor Alfredo Benitez.

Under the PUV Modernization Program, transport industry players are required to form transport service cooperatives to facilitate consolidation and collective ownership of PUVs in preparation for their modernization.

During the two-week period that began Tuesday, Familiaran said PUVs needed to submit the requirements to be issued provisional authorities to continue to operate.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will resume apprehending PUVs when the two-week ceasefire ends.

Renato Novero, LTO-Bacolod head, said the PUVs without franchises were given the chance to submit the requirements. If they still refused to comply with the modernization program, Novero said drivers would have to operate at their own risk.

The LTO began enforcing the LTFRB directive to arrest PUVs without franchises and provisional authorities on Nov. 7. Jeepneys without franchises and permits stayed off the streets to avoid arrest.

This resulted in the shortage of public transportation in some parts of Bacolod. Many commuters waited for hours due to the limited number of PUVs on the road.

Familiaran said the PUV Modernization Program is a national government program and that its implementation is beyond the control of the local government.

Department of Transportation Order 2017-011 aims to phase out PUVs 15 years old and above and replace them with modern public vehicles.

Representatives of transport groups and local officials held a dialog at the Bacolod City Government Center on Tuesday morning to relay their concerns.

Sentrong Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Negros chairman Albert Villanueva said the PUVs without franchises immediately resumed operations on Tuesday afternoon to serve the commuters.

“We will see what solutions they (local government officials) are offering,” Villanueva said.

Familiaran stressed the need for local PUV operators to comply with the national government directive.

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