By John Noel E. Herrera
The Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) of Iloilo province is most likely to be approved already by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), according to Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) head Mario Nillos.
Nillos explained in an interview that they have already received DOTr’s third review of the province’s revised LPTRP and there were no substantial comments that needed further changes.
“Yes, yes (good as approved) kay wala naman gid sang substantial comments, but it is more of data updating nga ara naman na kag ang updating sang planning period, ang mga circular, amu ma lang na actually ang ginbutang nila di,” Nillo said.
The PPDO chief revealed that the DOTr already approved the nine new developmental routes proposed by the province.
“Aprubado nila, wala sila sang comment. Aprubado man nila ang nine developmental routes nga gin propose naton,” Nillos said.
The nine new developmental routes, which are based on “growth areas” of the province and where economic activity is expected to spur within the next 15 years include:
-Oton-Santa Barbara-Leganes
-Oton to Iloilo International Airport
-Oton-Santa Barbara-Dumangas Port
-Tubungan to Mohon Terminal via Leon
-Passi City to Dumangas Port via San Enrique, Anilao, and Barotac Viejo
-Tubungan-Igbaras-Miagao
-Pavia to Ungka Terminal via C1 Road
– San Miguel to Cabatuan
-Barotac Viejo to Lemery
DOTr also did not leave comments about the other proposed routes, especially for the first town jeepneys, according to Nillos.
“Wala sila comment (on routes, especially first town jeepneys), so meaning gin pick nila na nga as far as our plan is concerned. Ang first towns masulod gid sila ya actually sa city kag may ruta gid sila ya,” he said.
“Na-agreehan naman na naton sa city government nga makasulod sila sa ciudad,” Nillos added.
The provincial government is also set to conduct a virtual meeting with the DOTr today to present its reply to the comments of the transportation department.
In August 2022, the provincial government laid down the full extent of its proposed LPTRP, which would involve connections between the 42 municipalities and Passi City, with stops at the boundaries of Iloilo City.
The LPTRP includes 60 proposed bus and jeepney routes, which are based on the result of the provincial government’s Origin and Destination Surveys, Boarding and Alighting Surveys, and Traffic or Vehicle Count Survey and Passenger Load Count.
The survey covered 18,949 households, 1,289 roadside passengers, 2,271 land transport terminal passengers, 328 airport passengers, and 965 seaport passengers.
The PPDO earlier noted that the revised LPTRP aims to address the overlapping routes, especially in travelling to Iloilo City.
One example, according to PPDO, is the current Santa Barbara to Iloilo City route, which would already be merged with the proposed New Lucena to Iloilo City via the Santa Barbara route.
