With few buses on the road, Cebu City needs jeepneys

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Workers in Cebu City who have returned to their respective workplaces after the city shifted to general community quarantine (GCQ) on June 1, 2020 still lack the public transport needed for their daily commute.

Cebu City spokesperson Rey Gealon said that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has approved 17 routes for the buses that would ply around the city, which was based in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system interim.

Read: On second day under GCQ, public transportation still a problem

There are 221 buses expected to ply this route in the future, but not at the moment as Gealon said the system is still in transition.

This means there is no adequate buses for the workers in the city and the jeepneys are very much needed to fill this gap in the public transport.

“Aduna tay 17 ka routa nga giapprobahan sa LTFRB ug 221 ka buses nga modagan ani nga mga rota. Apan wala pa kaabot ana nga gidaghanun ang mga buses karon,” said Gealon.

(We have 17 routes approved by the LTFRB and 221 buses to ply these. However, we have not reached that number of actual operating buses.)

With this lack of public transport, Mayor Edgardo Labella recently wrote to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade to allow the return of the jeepneys on the street.

Read: Labella to ask DOTr to allow jeepneys to operate under GCQ

Gealon said the city is still awaiting for the DOTr’s decision on the request of the mayor.

The city has already provided sacks of rice for the jeepney drivers that are yet to go back on the streets to earn a living.

Gealon said more assistance will be provided to more jeepney drivers in the next days. /bmjo