
ALTHOUGH they welcomed the idea of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to open jeepney routes at the South Road Properties (SRP), modern public utility jeepney (MPUJ) operators are worried about the economic implications for them since the area currently lacks significant passenger demand.
They urged the City Government to conduct further studies.
On Monday, May 6, 2024, Rama announced that he would introduce temporary jeepney routes at the SRP to cater to visitors for the Palarong Pambansa in July.
He said the routes will also accommodate displaced families who will soon be relocated there.
He said he wants jeepneys deployed at the SRP so Palaro participants can visit the various establishments located in the area.
Ellen Maghanoy, president of the Federation of Cebu Transport Cooperatives, told SunStar Cebu on Tuesday, May 7, they are willing to dispatch modern jeepney units to the SRP.
However, she said the City should consider that the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR) that traverses the SRP is an expressway rather than a highway, which means there aren’t many passengers found along the way, even though the mayor, on Monday, said otherwise.
Suggestions
She said most of the passengers are found on the Pardo to Colon and vice versa route, as most establishments are located along that stretch.
Instead of creating a new jeepney route, she suggested extending some jeepney routes that will allow them to go to establishments at the SRP, such as the SM Seaside City Cebu.
She also proposed introducing a new route that is point-to-point, citing as an example SM Seaside City Cebu to Starmall in Talisay City and vice versa.
Maghanoy said this ensures that their units will have passengers when plying the route.
She also suggested tapping the modern jeepney units operated by Citi di Mare, which, she said, do not have many passengers.
In her observation, she said, the free ferry services to Il Corso do not attract many patrons, so it would be beneficial if Rama collaborated with the management.
But should the mayor insist on letting jeepneys operate at the SRP, Maghanoy said the City should subsidize operators to offset potential losses incurred in accommodating his plan. / KJF