THE City Government of Davao has yet to finalize with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on the implementation of the proposed High Priority Bus System (HPBS) project of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio that seeks to shift the mode of transportation from public utility jeepney to buses.
Davao City Assistant City Administrator for Administration Lawyer Tristan Dwight Domingo said that there is still part of the proposed project of the city government that needs to be ironed out. They will meet with DOTr officials to determine how much help that they could provide the city.
The project, according to him, will go full blast once all concerns have been addressed.
Domingo added that there have been transportation companies that signified their interest like bus suppliers and operators who have heard about the project, but as to proposal, nobody has submitted yet because the project has not been officially rolled out.
“Like any processing of franchise be it jeepney, modernized jeep, modernized bus or modernized bus system it will go through the process is, the LTFRB will have to open it up and request for people who are interested or companies who are interested to put up or support the bus system in the city,” he said.
The challenge that they are facing right now in the implementation of the project is the drivers and operators who will be displaced once it will take effect. However, he assured that they will give them proper assistance.
“Honestly, that is one of the things that we are looking into in our plans to migrate into bus system... what are the support for the affected drivers and operators. There are already initial proposals from the consultants,” he added.