Jeepney associations are not happy about the merger and dissolution of some routes and deduction or addition of jeepney units in the proposed local public transport route plan (LPTRP) of Baguio.
The LPTRP was approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in August and is due for adoption by the city government through the passage of an ordinance.
Last Nov. 15, representatives of jeepney associations, who availed of the citizens’ forum during the city council session, opposed the new route plan as this will result in encroachment of route, unnecessary reduction or addition of jeepney units, diversion of routes, designation of longer or shorter routes, unnecessary creation of developmental routes, and imbalance in the ratio of passengers and jeepney units.
For instance, the consolidated Military Cut-Off, PNR-Hillside-Dagsian, Greenwater, and Gabriela Silang route which have a combined 91 traditional jeepney units will be reduced to 45 modern jeepneys under the LPTRP.
Lourdes Alcantara, the group’s representative, said 45 units are not enough to cater to passengers covering six barangays.
Others, meanwhile, complained of overlapping of routes, such as those passing through Leonard Wood Road, Pacdal circle, Outlook Drive with Lucnab, Maria Basa, Tip-Top, Kadaclan-Happy Hallow Country Club Village, Kias.
Drivers associations also complained that the new route for Trancoville and Aurora Hill is giving undue advantage to them as they are given a wider area of coverage at the central business district.
The city council committee on public utilities, transportation, and traffic legislation has been conducting consultations regarding the LPTRP. Committee chair Councilor Benny Bomogao said the committee will schedule another dialogue with the drivers to settle the issue.
Apart from those in the public transportation sector, commuters and barangay officials will also be invited for their inputs.
The route rationalization plan is a component of the transportation modernization program of the national government meant to consolidate redundant routes for a more efficient management of traffic and transportation.
Based on the LPTRP, consolidated routes and new development routes for Baguio are: Mines View with 83 authorized units, Navy Base-Pacdal-Liteng with 66, Pacdal Maria Basa-Tiptop with 33, Country Club-Lucnab-Happy Hallow with 46, Loakan airport-EPZA with 85, PNR-Green Water-Military Cut Off-Hillside-Gabriela Silang-Dagsian Line with 45, Camp John Hay-Scout Barrio with 50, BGH-Campo Sioco with 42, City Camp District with 47, PMA-Kias with 82, Kennon with 158, Bakakeng with 113, Crystal Cave with 37, Dontogan with 100, Palispis-Sto Niño-Kitma with 28, Guisad Valley with 29, Fairview with 31, Pinsao Pilot with 30, Asin San Luis with 93, Lourdes Dominican with 30, Quezon Hill with 65, San Carlos Heights with 67, Quirino Highway with 116, Quirino Hill with 51, Pinget with 46, Aurora Hill with 150, Trancoville with 154, Honeymoon-Holyghost-Brookside with 31;
Circumferential road line 1: (Quirino Highway-Muñoz Drive-Asin Road-Puyat Avenue-Palispis Highway-Balacbac Bakakeng Camp and bypass road-Kennon Road-Yandoc Street-Chuntug Street-Abanao Street-Quirino Highway-vice versa with eight;
Circumferential road line 2: (Buhagan Road-Magsaysay Avenue-M. Roxas Road-Leonard Wood Road-Poblete Drive-South Drive-Loakan Road-Kenon Road-vice versa with eight;
Tourism line 1 Mines View: westbound – Mines View-Outlook Drive-Romulo Drive-Leonard Wood Road-Upper Session Road-Tomas Kalaw Street-Harrison Road-Gov. Pack Road-UP Drive. Eastbound – UP Drive-Teodorico Kalaw Street-Session Road-North Drive-Leonard Wood Road-Gibraltar Road-Mines View with four;
Tourism line 2 Camp John Hay-PMA: Northbound – PMA-CJH-Loakan Road-Session Road Extension-T. Kalaw Street-Harrison Road-Gov Pack Road-UP Drive. Southbound – UP Drive-T. Kalaw Street-Session Road Extension-Loakan Road-CJH-PMA with four;
Tourism line 3 Lourdes Grotto-Mirador: eastbound – Dominican Road-Quirino Highway-Yandoc Street- Chuntug street-Salvosa Drive-Shanum Street-Lake Drive. Westbound – Lake Drive-Shanum Street-Baustista Drive-Chuntug Street-Abanao Road-Quirino Highway-Tacay Road-Longlong Road with four; and
Tourism line 4 Tam-awan Village: southbound – Long-long Road-Tacay Road-Quirino Highway-Yandoc Street-Chuntug Street-Salvosa Drive-Shanum Street-Lake Drive. Northbound – Lake Drive-Shanum Street-Bautista Drive-Chuntug Street-Abanao Road-Quirino Highway-Tacay Road-Longlong Road). – Rimaliza A. Opiña
