Suspend PUJ ban

MANDAUE City councilors will ask Cebu City legislators to amend their traffic ordinance, which bans Mandaue City jeepneys in Cebu City.

City Councilor Elstone Dabon will write Cebu City traffic consultant Jack Jakosalem to ask him to suspend the implementation of the ordinance.

Dabon, Mandaue City Council Committee on transport, communication and public utility chairman, said it will be inconvenient for students and workers, who will incur additional expenses if they take additional rides in going to or coming from Mandaue City.

The Mandaue City councilor said his letter to Jakosalem only suggests a temporary solution, while councilors attend a three-day Philippine Councilors’ League (PCL) convention in Olongapo City starting Nov. 24.

Upon his return from the convention, Dabon will pass a resolution requesting the Cebu City Council to amend their traffic ordinance, “nga maka-agi lang gihapon ang PUJ sa Mandaue (that will still allow Mandaue PUJ’s.”

Dabon stressed that he can only request Cebu City legislators and it’s all up to them to hear or ignore his pleadings.

He is hoping that Cebu lawmakers will consider his request as additional rides entail additional fares, especially with the planned increase in minimum fare rates.

Cebu City Ordinance 1837, amended by City Ordinance 2071 and 2214 bans Mandaue City jeepneys and inter-city jeepneys from plying Cebu City’s major thoroughfares and imposes fines of P300, 500 and P700 for first, second and repeated offenders, respectively.

The ordinance also provides that the vehicle of repeat offender will be impounded.