By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Land Transportation Office in Western Visayas (LTO-6) confirmed yesterday that they have not yet received any order from the central office to apprehend unconsolidated traditional public utility jeepney (PUJ) operators.
LTO-6 public information officer Riza Otayde said they have not yet carried out apprehensions against operators of traditional PUJs in the region.
Otayde said for now, they are conducting a routine inspection of vehicle registrations, and will only apprehend PUJ drivers who are operating with expired registration documents.
She said that their mandate to apprehend public and private vehicles violating traffic rules and regulations will continue.
They have also carried out a “no registration, no travel” policy that resulted in massive apprehensions targeting colorum vehicles since November of last year.
LTO-6’s announcement came after the January 1 expiration of the provisional authority issued to traditional PUJ operators last year.
This was also in response to the Bacolod Alliance of Commuters, Operators and Drivers Inc. (BACOD), demanding clarification during their rally outside LTO-Bacolod office in Barangay Mansilingan’s Sitio Manayawsayaw on Thursday, January 4.
Earlier, BACOD president Rudy Catedral demanded a clear answer from LTO-Bacolod chief Renato Novero, about whether traditional PUJs are allowed to continue operating in the city until January 31.
Catedral said they are confused about continuing to ply their routes despite the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), under the updated guidelines on the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program, allowed unconsolidated transport groups to continue operations until this month.
The LTFRB granted a one-month grace period after the deadline for PUV consolidation lapsed on December 31, 2023.
However, Catedral said they were told that they will be apprehended if they continue to operate.
“Nagalingin ang ulo sang aton driver-operators kung maano sila,” Catedral said.
A majority of traditional jeepney operators halted their operations on Thursday, fearing that they could be apprehended by the LTO for operating as colorums.
Fines for operating a colorum vehicle could reach as high as P50,000.
Catedral also questioned the LTO and the Bacolod City government on why another local transport group, the Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Negros (STONE), was allowed to operate their traditional PUV units after the consolidation deadline lapsed.
He also accused the LTO of being biased for allowing STONE to continue operating.
Catedral said it should be the same for both of them to be apprehended, pointing out that STONE has not yet officially consolidated and should also be tagged as colorum.
“Kami ya gin-warningan. Sila ya wala. Ang gusto namon matabo, dapat i-implementar ang layi. [Dapat] palarehas,” Catedral said./DGB, WDJ