THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) posed no objection to a proposed ordinance to allow the Cebu City Government to put up terminals and stops for public utility jeepneys and modern buses and jeeps or Beeps.
Details of the proposed ordinance, filed by Councilors Raul Alcoseba and Eugenio Gabuya Jr., were brought up in a public hearing Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020.
Joel Maloloy-on, LTO Cebu City district office head, said his office has no objection to the measure since they believe it is one way to solve the worsening traffic in the city.
For his part, LTFRB 7 legal officer Edwin Antipuesto believes the measure is “very relevant” as it aims to update existing PUJ stops, considering the entry of new PUVs.
The LTO is tasked with the registration of motor vehicles and issuance of licenses to qualified motor vehicle drivers and drivers, while the LTFRB’s jurisdiction focuses on the issuance and revocation of franchises for PUVs.
For his part, Alcoseba said PUJs and Beeps become a problem in the city’s thoroughfares when they ptactice illegal loading and unloading of passengers at non-designated stops.
Alcoseba said the proposed ordinance will serve as the basis for the establishment of terminals for PUJs and Beeps in the south and north districts of the city.
Based on the proposed ordinance, PUJ and Beep drivers who are caught loading and unloading passengers at non-designated stops will be issued citation tickets and required to pay a P500 fine for the first offense, P1,500 for the second offense and P3,000 for the third offense.
The PUJ or Beep driver will also be required to undergo a seminar on traffic rules and regulations.
For frequent violators, a P5,000 fine will be issued to them along with the cancellation of their driver’s license and franchise.
Aside from drivers, even passengers who board PUJs and Beeps at non-designated stops and terminals will be penalized with a P2,000 fine.
Of the fines collected from violators, 25 percent will go to the barangays where the violator was apprehended and 75 percent will go to the city’s coffers. (PAC / JKV)