Thursday, July 19, 2007 LTFRB-10 pushes board creation to discipline drivers By Lizanilla J. Amarga
AS COMPLAINED against undisciplined public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers have become worse, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-10) here suggests that Mayor Constantino Jaraula create a "specific board" to address it.
This, not only to crack whips on these drivers but also to actually impound the PUJ units they are driving until the charges against them are resolved.
"I am writing Mayor Jaraula on this for his consideration," LTFRB-10 Regional Director Mandangan Darimbang said Wednesday.
The special board, he said, would be composed of representatives from the LTFRB-10, City Government of Cagayan de Oro city, Land Transportation Office (LTO-10), Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) and the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo).
Also to be included are those from the Traffic Management Group (TMG-10), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-10) and Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA-10).
"It can be led by the chairman of the committee on public utility," the LTFRB-10 head said.
These undisciplined drivers are reported to be racing around the city streets against each other, even taking drugs while driving and violating other traffic regulation policies.
Recently, an old woman died when she fell from the PUJ unit in Cogon Public Market. The victim disembarked from a PUJ but its driver suddenly speeded away to catch more passengers that caused her to fall.
Similar incidents were also reported with more passengers seriously injured in Tablon and adjacent to the Puerto Public Market.
Darimbang explained that this special board would be tasked to investigate on complaints against undisciplined drivers and impound their PUJ units.
He said this is also meant to teach the owners/operators of PUJ units to be discriminating in choosing drivers for their units.
"Kay dili gani makataronganon nga kini nga PUJ unit kagahapon nakapatay ug pasahero kay walay disiplina ang drayber unya karon gadagan-dagan na usab. Kinahanglan i-impound gyud kana (It seems unjust that a PUJ unit on Wednesday killed a passenger, as it was driven by an undisciplined driver; now it is plying our city streets again. These units should be impounded)," he said.
Darimbang explained that the LTFRB is only a "quasi-judicial body" and that it is the law enforcers themselves who should really ran after these undisciplined drivers and operators.
He said the creation of this special body that will meet once a week or twice a month may just be the solution to these abusive PUJ drivers.
"Kay kami diri kasagaran namo nadawat nga reklamo kini ramang sa taxi nga dako kaayo ug singgil (Because our office here usually gets only complaints against taxi drivers who are asking too much out of their passengers)," he said over dxIF Bombo Radyo.
