Benitez set to meet Bautista on October 6

Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez will hold a meeting with Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista on October 6.

Benitez said Thursday, September 28, that he will tackle issues concerning the transport sector including the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and modernized jeepneys during his meeting with Bautista.

He said that CAAP closed the road again at the old Bacolod airport, and he questioned CAAP’s plan in the area.

For the modernized jeepneys, he added that he received a proposal that instead of the cooperative for the operation of the modernized jeep, the city will make an association to cater to the transport operator with the approval of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

"We are considering this possibility so that we can accommodate our commuters in the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP),” Benitez said.

The mayor noted that the city government will form an association that will comply with all the requirements of the modernized policy, and then the traditional jeepney operators who did not join the cooperative can register as members of the association.

Benitez said it’s one of their options to accommodate the transport operators, especially the traditional jeepney operators who did not join the cooperative of the modernized jeepney.

He said they could use the electric jeepney (e-jeep) for the operation.

"We will make sure that we have enough and sufficient public transportation for the convenience of commuters,” he added.

The city expects that by December this year, they can hit the target of 1,099 modern jeepney units operating in the locality.

Under the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP), 24 routes have been identified in the city, with a total allocation of 1,099 modern jeepney units under the PUVMP.

All traditional jeepneys are allowed to operate by virtue of an extended provisional authority (PA) until December 31, 2023.*