AT LEAST 500 traditional jeepney operators in Bacolod City will process their provisional authority (PA) with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Iloilo City today, May 17, an official of the city said Tuesday, May 16.
Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairperson of the City Council committee on transportation, said the LTFRB national office already ordered the regional office in Western Visayas to expedite the processing of the PA of the traditional jeepneys in Bacolod City.
On Monday, May 8, hundreds of traditional jeepney drivers held a transport strike and aired their sentiments against the LTFRB for their failure to issue PA to the traditional jeepney operators.
On the same day, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez also contacted Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista on the concerns of the modernization program and the situation of the traditional jeepneys in Bacolod.
Espino said the modernized jeepneys are still not enough and they need the augmentation of the traditional jeepneys that will be allowed to secure a PA until December 2023.
“They are now ready to process their PA at the LTFRB regional office so that they will be authorized to operate in Bacolod. It’s the directive of our mayor to prioritize the needs of the transportation sector in the city,” he said.
He added the operators should also pass the motor vehicle inspection center (MVIC).
Albert Villanueva, chairman of Sentrong Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Negros (SSTONE), said the SSTONE and the Federation of Bacolod City Drivers Association (FEBACDA) are supporting the modernization program and they are now ready to process their PA.
He said they have a total of 26 drivers associations in Bacolod City with a total of 1,898 traditional jeepney operators and some of their PAs were already expired in March 2023.
Of the number, 512 traditional jeepney operators were already given an endorsement by the City Government to process their PAs.
Junjun Asis, secretary-general of SSTONE, said there’s a possibility that the LTFRB will finish their applications within a week or for two weeks.
He said they will pay at least P260 for the PA.
Meanwhile, Espino said he also respects the decision of some of the alleged transport group leaders who are planning to file a case against him.*