Thursday, July 03, 2008 Police told to secure public transport
TRANSPORT groups on Wednesday asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure the safety of passengers amid a spate of robberies.
Claire dela Fuente, president of the Integrated Metro Bus Operators Association (IMBOA), said the authorities should assure the public that it is safe to ride in buses, jeepneys and other PUVs.
"We want the PNP to assure that it is safe to ride the public transport. We like the police to ensure the safety of those on board public vehicles," said dela Fuente during Wednesday's press forum in Greenhills, San Juan City.
Last month, a hostage crisis ensued inside a bus bound for Pampanga that resulted in the death of a passenger and the wounding of several others.
The hostage-taker was eventually shot by responding policemen.
The transport groups have also complained of several robbery incidents especially during the night when there is less policemen on the streets.
Present during the forum were representatives of Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap) and Makati Jeepney Drivers and Operators Association (MJODA) and a taxi group led by former Quezon City councilor Bong Suntay.
Dela Fuente said private vehicle owners would be saving a lot of money they spend in refueling or gassing up when using public mode of transport.
She added that once the ridership of public transport goes up, they would not be asking the government for a big fare increase in the future.
According to her, various transport organizations have ventured into promoting the use of alternative fuel with the skyrocketing cost of petroleum products worldwide.
She also called on private vehicle owners to promote car-pooling to further save on gas and decongest the Metro Manila streets and main thoroughfares.
Dela Fuente cited that a passenger bus carries an average of 50 to 60 people.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has estimated 80 percent of the vehicles plying Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) are privately owned while only 20 percent are public utility transport.
"So we are not the ones causing the traffic at Edsa," dela Fuente said.
Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Geary Barias said they have intensified efforts and cooperated with several transport groups in the fight against criminality in the metropolis.
He said there are 280 uniformed policemen who are securing commuters who used the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) systems.
Barias said they have also started reviving the deployment of plainclothes policemen in jeepneys and buses.
"Our mobile patrols are now very visible on national highways and streets. We will also conduct random stop and checks in buses as part of commuter safety and anti-criminality measures in public transport," he said.
Aside from the transport groups, Barias said they will ask the involvement of the MMDA, headed by its chairman Bayani Fernando, in the efforts to make public utility transport safe.
He also called on passengers who have been victimized by snatchers to report the incident to the authorities.
"We also encourage the public who are victims of petty crimes like hold-up to report it to the police. We would use these data for planning," Barias said.
The police official underscored the success of the so-called "zones of disciplines" set up by police to curb crimes in selected main thoroughfares in Metro Manila.
"These zones of disciplines are making the headway. One example is Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City," he said, citing that from 40 hold-up incidents in January to March last year, it has gone down to 10 from April to June with the implementation of the scheme. (AH/Sunnex)
