By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has directed the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) to implement the city’s Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) at “the earliest possible time.”
“Some markings and signage still need to be put in place but as soon as everything is in place, it should be implemented,” the city mayor said in a statement on Wednesday.
He added that if there are routes in the LPTRP that lack modernized jeepneys, the city government will permit traditional jeepneys to operate temporarily until modern vehicles become available.
PSTMO Jeck Conlu, in an interview on Tuesday, said they are still waiting for an update from the City Engineer’s Office on the road marking paint to be used since they already have the thermoplastic road marking machine.
“Nagbakal na si mayor sang thermoplastic machine […] Hopefully sa sini nga week matapos na sang City Engineer’s Office, City Planning and Development Office, and PSTMO ang markings. Pinta na lang, we will check,” he said.
Conlu said they will only install temporary loading and unloading signages since there is no budget yet in the city government.
As for the temporary signages, he said that roads will be marked with boxes to indicate designated areas for passenger loading and unloading.
“May box kita na da. Kung ina nga box may pinta na siya, amo na siya ang atun designated natun nga loading and unloading zone. Kung ikaw nga pasahero, kundu indi ka dira magbantay, indi ka pagpunduhan sang atun modernized or traditional jeepneys,” he explained.
Conlu said their priority for the road markings are routes in the city proper, unlike the Diversion Road which already has bays as designated areas for the loading and unloading.
“Ang atun nga city area, old roads ni siya. Ang amun nga target man lang is ang city proper area kay diri man lang na actually ang daw medyo critical kay kadamo sang route ka jeep diri. Once mapintahan na siya makasugod na kita sang atun LPTRP,” he said.
The PSTMO also plans to propose an ordinance to the city council for the regulation and enforcement of loading and unloading signages on identified routes.
Conlu said they are eyeing to implement the LPTRP before the end of 2023. He said he is set to meet with transport cooperatives and the City Engineer’s Office in the coming week.
Once implemented, the PSTMO is expecting a much lesser clamor from commuters as they have addressed previous concerns, especially regarding the extension of routes for jeepneys coming from the southern part of Iloilo province.
“Sa atun nga implementation, makasulod man dyapon ang first town. As is sila, status quo. Until such time nga mag dry run man ang Iloilo province sang ila LPTRP,” he said.
He previously said that the impacts and changes in the jeepney routes will not be felt since PSTMO has been “silently” running the 25 routes of the LPTRP.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, in a Memorandum Circular released on August 23, has approved the city’s LPTRP which has a total of 25 rationalized routes.
