By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The business sector in Bacolod City has expressed concern after more than a hundred traditional public utility jeepney (PUJ) operators stopped plying the city streets since Monday, November 7, because of the fear of being apprehended by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) due to operating without renewed franchises.

In a radio interview yesterday, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive officer Frank Carbon said they are not in favor of the PUJs stopping their operations in the city as it would have a negative impact on the city’s economy.

The trip suspension of the PUJs in the city caused some of the workers to be unable to work as there was no transportation available.

Carbon said at least 80 percent of the workers in the city use public transportation and he was hoping that the city government will immediately act on the matter.

Yesterday morning, hundreds of traditional PUJ drivers and operators camped outside the Bacolod City Government Center asking for a dialogue with city officials.

Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, along with the other city officials, later appeared and talked to the transport leaders.

Following a lengthy negotiation, it was finally agreed that the apprehension against PUJs will temporarily be suspended for 15 days, beginning today.

Lilian Cabansag, President of the Estefania Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association Incorporated, said during the 15-day period, the PUJ operators and the city officials will conduct a series of meetings to find a solution to the traditional PUJ operators’ problems.

According to Familiaran, he had not received information on Sunday, November 6, with regards to the apprehension of PUJs with incomplete documents.

Familiaran only discovered the announcement on Monday, after he received a call regarding the city’s transport situation.

Meanwhile, city administrator Atty. Pacifico Maghari III denied that Mayor Alfredo Benitez issued an order to apprehend PUJ drivers with incomplete documents by conducting checkpoints in the city.

Maghari pointed out that the operation was directly from the national government, and the LTO was following orders.

The traditional PUJ operators were also strongly advised to join a transport cooperative or corporation as part of the national government’s transport modernization program./DGB, WDJ