CEBU CITY — Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dini intervened on Thursday, July 18, in the issue on the implementationof the Public UtilityVehicle (PUV) Modernization Program that is being implemented in Mactan Island.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan earlier rejected the additional deployment of 75 units of e-jeepneys in Mactan Island.
Mayor Chan seeks the review and revision of the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) that was earlier submitted by the former administration.
Chan after a meeting with Dino and other transportation officials clarified that he is supportive of the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Administration.
“Ato lang giklaro nga kita dili ta supak sa modernization sa atong transportation, sayop na ang naa sa balita karon. Kita paborable gyud ta sa modernization, ang atoa lang gusto nato ma-review ang rota nato sa e-jeep,” Chan said.
He reiterated that he doesn’t want the current tricycle and multicab drivers to be displaced following the plan of having 100 e-jeepneys plying the City.
“Dili sad ko mosugot nga maligsan sila kay maapektohan man sad gyud ang atoang syudad.”
In its initial launch, 25 e-jeepneys were deployed in the island of Mactan that will ply four routes from Lapu-Lapu City to Cordova.
The Mayor of the “Historic Resort City” also clarified that he is not against giving commuters an option for transportation but rather he wants to talk with the drivers to submit a better route plan for both e-jeep, multicabs, and tricycles.
After Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 regional director Col. Eduardo Montealto Jr., asked Presidential Assistant to the Visayas Secretary Michael Dino to intervene on the issue, the Secretary set an appointment with Chan and Montealto.
“I know that Mayor Chan is a very reasonable man and how he has been very supportive of President Duterte’s programs,” said Dino.
Together with them is Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7 regional director Victor Caindec and Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 regional director Shahlimar Hofer Tamano.
Montealto told Chan that the Department of Transportation in partnership with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has a livelihood program for the drivers in the country.
The “Tsuper Iskolar” is a scholarship program for the drivers and its family member to give them more skills and livelihood opportunities.
Montealto also said that they will wait for the revision of the route plan adding that there will be a feasibility monitoring within the three years of implementing the PUVMP to check viability of the current transportation situation.
