ILOILO CITY — The city government here through its City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) has started to collate data to support the crafting of the local transport plan.
Jeck Conlu, head of the Public Safety and Traffic Management Office (PSTMO), said the plan speaks of the total picture of the city’s transportation sector, hence they need data like the routes and number of public utility and private vehicles, among others.
Conlu said they target to complete the plan before the year ends because it is going to be “comprehensive” and it will take a long process.
It will be crafted together with the CPDO, PSTMO, Transportation Committee of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), other concerned agencies and the transportation sector.
“This projects the next 20 years and part of this is the modernization program and the new mode of transportation,” he said.
He added that before they can sit down to craft the plan, they need first to attend a workshop that will be conducted by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The workshop in Iloilo City is slated sometime April or May this year.
Meantime, he said that the plan will serve as basis whether or not they have to open additional franchise for taxi and open or close new routes.
He said that initially, there is a shortage of taxi units, especially when big malls in nearby municipalities and in the metropolis will start to operate.
“We cannot yet determine if how many are needed,” he added though.
Right now there are more than 3,000 taxi units that are registered in the city but not all are operational, he said.
The Association of Taxi Operators of Panay earlier said that there is a need of around 200 to 300 more units.
However, the LTFRB could not open a new franchise if there is no recommendation from the local government units, which in turn will be based on the local transport plan. (Perla Lena/PNA)
