AN INITIAL 30 units of modernized public utility vehicles (PUV) will start plying the Aurora Hill and Trancoville route after a transport cooperative formally received its certificate of franchise.
Lawyer Martin Delgra, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman, said Baguio City’s initial implementation of the transport modernization program this time of pandemic will be an example for other local government units in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
"This modernization is the biggest non-infrastructure project of the Duterte administration. This could not be done by one agency, like the LTFRB, or other agencies under the Department of Transportation, nor without the drivers and operators because this takes a lot of money, inspiration, logistics, having so many stakeholders,” Delgra said.
The Cordillera Basic Sectors Transport Cooperative (CBSTC), operators of the 30 modern PUVs, received its certificate of franchise from the LTFRB, making it one of the biggest transport cooperatives in the region to start the transport modernization in Northern Luzon.
Delgra said part of the CBTSC mandate particularly during the pandemic is its strict adherence to public health standards issued by the government since the transfer of the virus may be present in the public transport sector.
“Aside from the oath of responsibility that you took, strict compliance to the minimum health protocols should be observed at all times to prevent the possible spread of the coronavirus and to ensure the reduction and, ultimately, the termination of this coronavirus here in Baguio City,” the LTFRB chairman said.
LTFRB lauded Baguio City officials for taking the lead in its transport modernization.
Delgra said with Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s innovative style of leadership, fundamental changes have been pushed in the city, which have addressed the problem on carbon emissions and the presence of old public utility jeeps.
“One important role of the LGU like what Baguio City is doing is the planning of its route. It is the LGU of Baguio that knows the number of passengers based on its population,” Delgra added.
Magalong, meanwhile, said with Baguio City taking the lead towards transport modernization, it is expected that other LGUs in the region will soon follow its lead.
In 2019, Baguio City was the first city to submit its expression of interest for the low-carbon urban transport system, with one of the major components requiring transport modernization aside from the local public transport rerouting plan. It includes the infrastructure of an integrated transport terminal to lower the city’s carbon emission.
"If only all our old jeeps will be replaced by these new vehicles, we can significantly lower our carbon emission and, at the same time, provide safe, convenient, comfortable, environment-friendly vehicles for our commuters,” Magalong said.
Transport federation groups in Baguio City and neighboring municipalities expressed their intention of becoming a cooperative and started to submit their applications. Its members will be provided with incentive benefits for its member-operators and drivers.
“These modernized vehicles will continuously ply the specific routes and, once our smart city system would be fully established, all of these modernized vehicles will be monitored, which is part of our smart transport mobility,” Magalong added.