THE Bacolod City Council approved a resolution asking the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), through the Department of Transportation (DOTr), to hold off issuing permits for 21 modernized public utility vehicles (PUVs) to the Cebu People's Jeep Cooperative until internal disputes among its members are resolved by the Cooperative Development Authority or a competent court.
The resolution, authored by Councilor Dindo Ramos, chairperson of the City Council committee on transportation, was approved during the regular session on Tuesday afternoon, December 16, 2025.
The resolution specifically directs LTFRB-6 Director Richard Osmeña, through DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez, to defer issuing certificates of public convenience and related permits for the 21 units.
Ramos said the Cebu People’s Jeep Cooperative has an allocation for modernized public utility jeepneys under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) framework for 60 units, but there are existing intra-cooperative disputes among its members concerning governance, participation, and/or allocation of units and privileges under said program.
He said pursuant to the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008 (Republic Act 9520) and the law strengthening the Cooperative Development Authority (RA 11364), the CDA has jurisdiction and mechanisms for the settlement of intra-cooperative disputes through conciliation-mediation and arbitration, and such processes, where invoked, should be respected to avoid prejudice to the substantive rights of members.
He added that the LTFRB, created under Executive Order 202 (1987) and attached to the DOTr, is vested with the power to regulate the operation of public land transportation services and to issue Certificates of Public Convenience (CPC), Provisional Authorities (PA), and related permits.
Ramos noted that the DOTr, through Department Order 2017-011 (Omnibus Guidelines on the Planning and Identification of Public Road Transportation Services and Franchise Issuance), implements the PUVMP, under which allocations for modernized vehicles may be granted to qualified operators, cooperatives, and transport service entities.
"To uphold due process, ensure orderly implementation of the PUVMP, and prevent regulatory actions that may aggravate internal conflicts or result in inequitable outcomes among cooperative members, it is prudent to hold in abeyance the issuance of new franchises and related permits over allocations in dispute until the competent authorities have resolved the matter," Ramos.
He said the requested deferment is without prejudice to the commuting public and does not affect existing valid franchises, PAs, or ongoing operations duly authorized by law and regulations. (MAP)