Regulation of modern jeeps, buses sought amid pandemic

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Councilor James Anthony Cuenco has proposed an ordinance regulating the temporary operations of public utility buses and modernized public utility jeepneys within the city during the effectivity of the state of calamity or until the enactment of the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP).

The proposed ordinance entitled “Cebu City Public Utility Bus (PUB) and Modernized Public Utility Jeepney (MPUJ) Temporary Operations Ordinance” was referred to the Committee on Laws, Ordinances, and Styling as well as Committee on Transportation for review.

“Since these transport services- Public Utility Buses (PUB) and ‘Modernized Public Utility Jeepneys (MPUJ)’ are now the primary modes of transportation in the city since the resumption of the operations of public transportation services, there is a need to regulate their temporary operations and to determine various routes for the benefit of the commuting-public,” read the proposed measure.

It shall cover all the PUBs and MPUJs which may have been granted with special permit (SP) to operate within the territorial jurisdiction of the city during the period granted by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and/or during a state of public health emergency and/or state of calamity or until the enactment of the LPTRP.

Section 4 states all PUBs and MPUJs shall secure a Travel Line Certificate from the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) before being allowed to ply the city streets.

Indicated in the said certificate are the route code, route description, date of validity, registered owner/operator, and registered owner/operator’s address, among others.

The Travel Line Certificate shall be brought at all times and placed in conspicuous areas in the vehicle as it shall be presented for inspection or verification whenever a random check is undertaken by authorized CCTO personnel.

Section 5 provides all PUBs and MPUJs shall conspicuously display the designated route code in the front and rear portions of the said public utility vehicle.

The CCTO is authorized to determine the number of authorized units of PUBs and MPUJs to plying in each route.

These registered public utility vehicles and their respective routes shall be subject for reevaluation every six months following the date of effectivity of the ordinance.

This is to determine the additional authorized entry routes with corresponding route codes and descriptions.

Section 9 provides that violators shall be penalized with a fine of P2,000 and the impoundment of PUBs or MPUJs until the operator has secured the required Travel Line Certificate for first offense; a fine of P3,500 and the impoundment of PUBs or MPUJs until the operator has secured the required Travel Line Certificate for second offense; and a fine of P5,000 and the impoundment of PUBs or MPUJs until the operator has secured the required Travel Line Certificate for third and succeeding offenses.

Moreover, if the violator happens to be a juridical entity, the penalty provided shall be imposed upon the president or manager of such entity. In addition, its business permit shall be revoked after commission of third or more violations. — KQD (FREEMAN)