Mandaue PUJ drivers seek Rama's support

Drivers of Mandaue City jeepneys plying Cebu City routes yesterday paid Vice Mayor Michael Rama a visit after Mayor Tomas Osmeña announced the other day he would impound Mandaue PUJs that would violate City Ordinance 1837.

The drivers also presented Rama a copy of a memorandum from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board stating its opinion on the problem of drivers with the ordinance.

"We ask the vice mayor to help us because he and his colleagues at the council are the ones making the ordinance. Why do they have to charge our members in court if this could be resolved at the council?" said Antonio Pogado, chairman of the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo, which claims membership of majority of Mandaue City PUJ drivers.

He admitted that some of their members have stopped plying the major streets of Cebu City for fear that they might be apprehended or their vehicles would be impounded. Rama has promised to thoroughly study the memorandum and meet with his colleagues at the city council.

Last Wednesday, LTFRB Manila issued a memorandum to all its regional offices stating its opinion on the conflict between a city-municipal ordinance and the certificate of public convenience.

Citing Supreme Court cases and resolutions, the board said that "cities and municipalities have the power to regulate motor traffic in the streets subject to its control through the enactment of ordinance."

"The LTFRB is directed to require any public service to comply with the laws of the Philippines, and with any provincial resolution or municipal ordinance relating thereto. It is clear, however, that the ordinance must be relating thereto or relating to the national laws..." it further stated.

However, LTFRB noted that these ordinances should not be in conflict with any national law, adding that the "LTFRB is the sole agency empowered to prescribe, regulate or modify routes of service for public utility vehicles" and local ordinances are inferior in status to the power of the board conferred by a law. With the LTFRB memorandum, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said yesterday he would sit down with the drivers to listen to their views and concerns. - Wenna A. Berondo and Joeberth M. Ocao