March 29, 2024

Trips to Baguio City will resume after Christmas after the city government approved the procedures and protocols for the resumption of provincial transport operation between the city and destinations whose local government units approved of the plan.

Engr. Bonifacio dela Peña, city administrator, said Mayor Benjamin Magalong has approved in a meeting on Dec. 21 the procedures and protocols earlier identified by the Traffic and Transport Management Office and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

He said they targeted to finish the inspection of bus and van units, and for the applicants to secure the certificate to operate from the LTFRB by Dec. 22 and start operation after Dec. 25.

Eight buses and nine vans have applied and will be allowed to ply point-to-point routes to and from Baguio City.

The approved routes or areas where the buses and vans will travel are from Baguio to: National Capital Region; Bontoc to NCR via Banaue, Ifugao; Bontoc; Pampanga – Clark, San Fernando, and Mabalacat; Mariveles, Bataan; Olongapo; Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija; and San Carlos City and Lingayen in Pangasinan.

Buses for long distance trips are not allowed stop-over.

They are not allowed to ply the route other than what they were permitted to traverse. Each bus unit should have a restroom.

Long trip buses should have installed an air filtration system capable of filtering 2.5 particulate matters.  

All passengers must have a negative RT-PCR or antigen test result before travel which may be valid for 72 hours or 30 days depending on the classification (resident, tourist, worker, APOR, etc.) of the passenger. 

For those entering Baguio City, a travel authority is no longer required but passengers must comply with the protocols of other local government units that may be requiring a travel pass and other documents.

Dela Peña said it would be ideal for the bus companies to have its own triage for their and the passengers’ convenience and safety. – Hanna C. Lacsamana