Several complaints of indiscriminate loading and unloading of jeepneys and Beeps in city streets have prompted the move to establish jeep and Beep stops in the city. | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Council is reviewing an ordinance that would establish proper jeepney stops and Beep stops around the city according to their routes.
Councilors Raul Alcoseba and Eugenio Gabuya, Jr. proposed the ordinance on November 19, 2019, to the city council, as a response to various complaints regarding indiscriminate loading and unloading of these public utility vehicles (PUVs).
Alcoseba, the main proponent of the ordinance, said the jeeps and Beeps had become a problem in the streets and safety risks to passengers as they would not follow proper stops.
The City Transportation Office (CTO) has painted yellow lines along the major thoroughfares or national roads for jeepney stops, but the jeepneys and Beeps are still generally allowed to load and unload indiscriminately along city streets.
“The objective of the ordinance is to establish proper jeepney and Beep terminals to strengthen connectivity, improve public transportation, and penalize erring jeepney and Beep drivers, operators, and even passengers, in order to instill discipline to the commuting public,” said Alcoseba.
Read more: Councilor Gabuya to CCTO: Designate proper BEEP stops
The ordinance would establish a terminal for Beeps and jeepneys, one in the north district and another in the south district, which would each have an office for operations, a restroom open to the public, and waiting shed.
Along the routes of the jeepneys and Beeps, they will have an established stop where they are allowed to load and unload passengers specific for their routes. This will allow the passengers of a particular route to wait only at certain stops.
Drivers who violate the jeepney or Beep stops, and load or unload passengers in any area aside from the designated stop, will pay a fine a penalty of P500 for the first offense, P1,500 for the second offense, and P3,000 for the third offense.
Third offenders will also have to undergo a seminar on traffic rules and regulations.
For chronic violators, they may be fined up to P5,000 and the driver’s license and the franchise’s license may be revoked by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB)
Passengers are not excluded from paying fine because passengers who go on board or get off the jeepney outside the designated stops will be fined up to P2,000 for the violation.
At least 75 percent of penalties collected from violators of the ordinance will go to the city’s treasury, while 25 percent will go to the barangay where the violation took place.
The City Council’s Committee on Laws is currently reviewing the ordinance proposed by Alcoseba and Gabuya.
Alcoseba hopes for a favorable response since there have already been numerous complaints against passengers of jeepneys and Beeps, and the city needs a concrete solution to the problem./dbs