LTO-7 to strictly impose no overloading policy

CEBU, Philippines - Strict implementation of the no overloading policy for public utility vehicles will remain in place during the Holy Week when huge volume of passengers going to their hometowns is expected.

The Land Transportation Office-7 reiterated its policy to the bus operators during a coordination meeting held at the Capitol yesterday intended to firm up plans for this peak season.

The bus operators during the meeting requested the LTO-7 that their bus units be allowed to accommodate 10 to 15 extra persons to recover their losses during their return trips to Cebu City. But the request was turned down by LTO-7 officials.

“We will never allow kanang mga violation sa LTO rules and regulations during that time (Holy Week), because we will be compromising the safety of our passengers,” said Joel Maloloy-on, LTO-7 operations division chief.

He urged the drivers and operators to just adhere to the rules and regulations, “otherwise, we will issue temporary operator’s permit for any violations committed.”

To enforce the policy during Holy Week, Maloloy-on said, a meeting will be called among the LTO-7 district offices for the fielding of its personnel to conduct checkpoints along the roads.

LTO-7 will also conduct roadworthiness inspections to ensure that bus units conveying passengers to far-flung areas are not defective.

“Atong gibuhat lang is kung makita nato nga naay mga defects sa bus accessories and parts, ato lang sa ipa-correct nila (bus operators),”Maloloy-on told reporters.

He said should drivers and bus operators defy the directive to have the defects of their units corrected, TOPs will be issued to them.

“Kung gamiton gihapon nila ang sakyanan, ato na gyong isyuhan og TOP because they are not respecting the office anymore,” he said, adding that the inspections would only take three to five minutes. Commuters are likewise reminded to observe the seating capacity of the buses.

“Di ta modutdot or mosakay sa mga sakyanan nga puno na because atong gisigurado ilang safety sa pagsakay,” Maloloy-on said.

Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino, who presided over the meeting yesterday, encouraged the public who are going home for the Holy Week observance to plan their trip ahead of time considering that influx of passengers at the bus terminal is expected to increase starting this Monday.

In an interview, Ramon Dumayac Jr., the new operations manager of the CSBT, said the terminal management is anticipating bus shortage, especially during peak days-Holy Wednesday and Maundy Thursday. The volume of passengers usually skyrockets during these days, he added.

However, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 is issuing special permits to buses plying outside their regular routes during the holidays to accommodate large volume of passengers.

Eugenio Ibo, LTFRB-7 information officer, said some bus operators have already applied for special permits. The CSBT management will also request the local government units to lend their Suroy-Suroy buses, in case of shortage. There are more than 300 buses and mini-buses operating at CSBT on regular days.

Dumayac said the terminal’s security will be augmented starting Monday. The security force will be composed of personnel from the Philippine National Police, Capitol’s Civil Security Units and guards. — (FREEMAN)