GENERAL SANTOS CITY–The city government is set to launch new routes for public utility vehicles (PUVs) as it moves to improve the city’s public transportation system.
This move came following the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) order for the local government to develop its Local Public Transport Routing Plan (LPTRP).
LTFRB chair Martin Delgra personally handed over the directive to City Mayor Ronnel Rivera in a ceremony held at the city mayor’s office conference room on Friday.
Delgra said the city is the first local government unit (LGU) in the country to complete the formulation of the routing plan.
The LPTRP outlines the route network, mode, and required number of units for the delivery of public land transport services.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the LTFRB mandated LGUs to formulate such plan, which will serve as basis for the crafting of a comprehensive local transport program.
The city’s LPTRP mainly features 14 new public transport routes covering major roads to and from the city’s central business district and other convergence and growth areas within the city’s 29 barangays.
It revived previous PUV routes that became extinct due to the proliferation of tricycles and introduced new lines leading to strategic areas, among them the city international airport.
The city government began developing the plan last year in coordination with the DOTr and the LTFRB. The two agencies approved the plan last April and it was eventually adopted by the city council on May 8 through an ordinance.
Delgra said the city’s LPTRP is a product of a series of engagements and studies conducted by the LTFRB, DOTr, and the city government.
He said these were based on the standards and protocol set by the national government and updated local development plans.
“(The city government) may now fully implement the new routing plan and eventually regulate local public transport,” Delgra said.
Because of this, he said, the LTFRB will no longer charge franchise fees for PUVs that will ply the new routes, and PUV operators will only have to pay the administrative costs and other processing fees.
Delgra challenged the local government to launch the new routes within the month and work on the deployment of compliant, modern and environment-friendly PUVs.
Rivera said the routing plan was a huge boost to the city government’s efforts to improve the area’s “topsy-turvy” public transportation system.
He said the local government has begun preparations for the full implementation within the next few weeks. (PNA)
