ILOILO CITY — Amid incidents of stranded passengers, the city and provincial governments of Iloilo have agreed to allow 40 percent of consolidated traditional jeepney units from the first or border towns into the city loop during peak hours.
An agreement setting the terms and conditions was signed on Friday, following a conference called by Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. on June 3 to address the jeepneys' entry as a consequence of Iloilo City's full implementation of its local public transport route plan (LPTRP) on May 27.
On weekdays, 40 percent of first town jeepneys will be allowed to operate along their regular routes from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 12 midnight, while only 25 percent will be permitted during off-peak hours.
Meanwhile, 40 percent will be allowed with a 24-hour provision on Saturdays and 100 percent on Sundays and holidays.
First town jeepneys are those from Pavia, Leganes and Oton. The town of Santa Barbara has been included in the entry request considering its location as the entrance to the Iloilo International Airport.
"The first towns are like an extension of Iloilo City since most of the workforce are residents of the first towns of the province," Defensor said during the June 3 dialogue.
The agreement specifies that first town jeepneys are prohibited from loading or picking up passengers while en route to their destination.
The Iloilo City Transportation Management Unit (ICTMU) also emphasized that the dispatching plan they made and designated loading and unloading areas should be strictly followed to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city loop.
Defensor also committed he will personally follow up on the status of the LPTRP of the province at the Department of Transportation to expedite its approval, noting that the province's plan has been returned for revisions four times already.
The ICTMU previously approved a 40 percent entry from first towns — 25 percent during peak hours and a 15 percent buffer unit if passenger traffic increases.
ICTMU chief Uldarico Garbanzos explained that the initial 25 percent and 15 percent buffer measure is intended to control city traffic flow and protect the interests of the city's transport cooperatives, acknowledging that the entry of first town jeepneys could create a "competition."
Following this, first town jeepneys held a "transport holiday" on June 3 and 4, which reportedly paralyzed the movement of passengers into Iloilo City.
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