SEN. Grace Poe yesterday urged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to listen to transport organizations’ pleas to allow more public utility jeepneys to ply their regular routes ahead of the reopening of classes next month.
Poe said the buses deployed by the government only cover major thoroughfares and not cover secondary roads where residences are usually located. She said this will solve the looming transportation shortage when classes begin in August.
Several transport groups have been calling on the LTFRB to allow PUJs to return to the original routes since other public utility vehicles may not be adequate to provide rides for students.
The Department of Education had set the opening of classes on August 22
The LTFRB imposed a nationalization program that affected regular PUJ routes during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
For instance, the transport groups said there used to be around 160 PUJs servicing the University of the Philippines Diliman campus route but the number is down to 20 at present.
Poe said “there is every reason to listen to the plea,” adding: “It’s a viable solution to avert a commuter pandemonium when majority of the 28 million students, mixed with millions more workers, go out on the streets for a ride to their destinations and back home.
“While there are buses deployed, they run only in main thoroughfares and do not service the secondary roads where residences are usually situated,” Poe said.
She added: “We call on the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to hasten its decision on letting more PUVs to ply their traditional routes. Doing so would not only help augment transportation needed by our people, but also provide a source of income to our drivers.”
More than a month to go before the start of school year 2022-2023, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has intensified its operations to clear traffic obstructions in roads and streets in the vicinity of schools.
MMDA officer-in-charge Baltazar Melgar said the operations are being carried out by members of the agency’s Task Force Special Operations and Anti-Colorum Unit.
“This is part of the MMDA’s preparations for the opening of classes and the expected increase in the number of vehicles on our roads. We will further intensify our clearing operations as we near the opening of classes to ensure that our roads and sidewalks are free of any traffic obstructions,” Melgar said.
Melgar said he also directed MMDA district heads to coordinate with barangay officials and school heads to ensure the traffic-free opening of classes. — With Ashzel Hachero
