Will 77 metro buses get franchise?

CEBU, Philippines - The Metro Rapid Transit System Inc. “strongly believes” its application for the franchise of its 77 buses will be approved by the Department of Transportation and Communications, despite opposition from various transport groups.

“We strongly believe the merits of our application. It has passed through the review of the DOTC and we are subject to the franchise process of the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board,” said MRTSI lawyer Jomar Castillo.

MRTSI is a joint venture of SM Holdings Inc. and Jam Transport which is behind the High Quality Public Transportation System in Metro Cebu.

Castillo said their franchise applications are endorsed by the four local government units of Metro Cebu, including the cities of Talisay, Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

He said they intend to operate as soon as the franchise of five buses is already approved. They expect 20 more buses to arrive here on November 16.

In yesterday’s public hearing, all transport groups expressed their strong opposition to the issuance of the franchise.

Those who opposed were the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Multi-Purpose Cooperative, the Visayan United Transport Service Multi-Purpose Cooperative, the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association, the Cebu South Mini Bus Operators Association and the National Confederation of Transport Union-Visayas.

They wanted LTFRB to deny the application for “want of any palpable merit” and also for the “adverse effects” it will bring to the entire transport industry.

The opposition paper also said the application goes against the moratorium on the issuance of new certificates of public convenience for Public Utility Bus Service.

“The entry of additional bus units of the applicant will definitely contribute largely to the worsening traffic situation of Metro Cebu,” it read.

But Castillo said they have their own study submitted, reviewed and approved by DOTC showing that there is a strong public demand for buses in the routes they applied for.

MRTSI applied the following routes: 26 buses for the route line from Mandaue City to Cebu City, SM Seaside via SRP Mambling, N. Bacalso, Miller Hospital and vice versa; 22 units in the route line from Talisay City to Mandaue City via SRP, SM Seaside, SM City and vice versa; 11 units in the route line from Talisay City to Cebu City, SM Seaside City via SRP Mambaling, N. Bacalso, Miller Hospital and vice versa; and eight units in the route line from Talisay City to Mandaue City, via SRP, SM Seaside, SM City, Mactan Cebu International Airport and vice versa.

“Dili ug dili gyud kita motugot nga makadagan ning mga hybrid bus. Maghimo kita og kalihukan aron di kini aprubahan ang ilang prangkisa,” said Roduly Laconza, head of transport group ATOMIC.

Greg Perez, Cebu coordinator of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide, said they too will not allow the operation of the77 buses as it is detrimental to their livelihood.

PISTON-Cebu, together with other militant transport groups, held a protest in front of the LTFRB-7 regional office yesterday.

LTFRB-7 director Rey Elnar, who faced the protesters, said their concerns will be taken into consideration before LTFRB will come up its own decision on the said franchise application.

The Movement for Livable Cebu represented by Marc Canton, meanwhile, said it supports a viable and sustainable mass transit system in Cebu.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Transportation Office noticed a slow moving traffic along J. Briones Street, Cebu City as a result of the picket of some transport groups in front of LTFRB-7 office yesterday.

CCTO Operations Chief Jonathan Tumulak, though, said the situation was manageable since the rally lasted for just an hour.

“Manageable ra ang traffic, maximum tolerance lang pod ta. Maayo kay ang transport groups nag-coordinate sa opisina before sa ilang rally maong naka-andam pod atong opisina,” he said.

Tumulak said there were 10 traffic enforcers stationed near the office of LTFRB to assist the motorists and commuters. No passengers were stranded during the rally.

CCTO executive director Rey Gealon said there was no need for them to stage a protest since “the HQPTS buses will be plying developmental routes along the SRP coastal road only.”

“Meaning, those roads are not traversed by PUJs. It is a safe and sustainable mass transit system which Cebuanos will surely be encouraged to patronize,” Gealon said.

But Cebu City’s transportation czar and Bus Rapid Transit project head Rafael Yap said they want to understand the position of the transport groups.

“While we support HQPTS, we are of the belief that this does not directly compete with existing PUJ services. HQPTS is hoped to reduce existing private car users by providing high quality public transport,” he said.

Yap believed that the bus system is good for commuters in the city to experience good quality public transport so that existing operators will likewise improve their services.

The bus system is expected to be the first mass public transportation system to pass through the SRP and is expected to be operational by the time SM Seaside City Complex opens by the end of the year.  — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon and Jean Marvette A. Demecillo/JMD (FREEMAN)