Mandaue City is first Region 7 LGU to receive Notice of Compliance

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Region 7 (LTFRB-7) Director Colonel Eduardo Montealto, Jr., hands over the Notice of  Compliance to Mayor Jonas Cortes with City Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, chairman of the committee on transportation, and City Planning Head Architect Marlo Ocleasa on Friday, March 12, 2021.

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Mandaue City became the first local government unit in Region 7 to be awarded the Notice of Compliance for its Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP).

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Region 7 (LTFRB-7) Director Colonel Eduardo Montealto, Jr., personally handed over the Notice of Compliance to Mayor Jonas Cortes with City Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, Chairman of the committee on transportation, and City Planning Head Architect Marlo Ocleasa on Friday, March 12, 2021.

“The City of Mandaue supports the current administration’s thrust to modernize our public transport system through the Public Utility Vehicle program. I am very proud to say that we are the first LGU in Region-7 approved and granted the Notice of Compliance,” Cortes said.

Under the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program, all local governments should formulate their LPTRPs determining which areas need additional franchises for PUVs and submit them to the LTFRB.

The mayor assured that the city will help traditional jeep drivers who will be affected by the implementation of the route plan.

Montealto said the government has a tsuper skolar program that will help the drivers and operators.

“Pwedeng mueskwela aning TESDA, ako’ng usbon drivers, operators, ilang pamilya hangtud ilang apo can avail for this program, so walay ma displace ana while undergoing seminar, training. Halimbawa one month, ang katung ga eskwela adunay P350 a day allowance so dili gyud to mabakante, ” Montealto said.

Ocleasa said the plan will most likely be implemented this year. He said after the ordinance would be passed there will be bidding for the transport cooperatives.

Earlier, Lumapas’ ordinance adopting the route plan was passed by the city council on the first reading.

The city’s LPTRP features 4 public transport routes within the city, these are:

a. CICC to Banilad and Cabancalan
b. CICC to Cabancalan and Banilad
c. Tintay to CICC/Parkmall
d. Parkmall loop via D.M Cortes

Aside from the four intra-city routes, there are also 15 inter-city routes.

There shall be 15 authorized units which will be provided per authorized routes.

The Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) should ensure strict compliance.

A P1,000 fine will be slapped on Class 2 PUJ drivers who shall operate outside their designated route.

Meanwhile, Montealto said the Ceres buses that are currently plying in the tri-cities will be decommissioned as soon as the plan will be implemented. He added Ceres buses will resume their provincial routes.

He said the buses were only given special routes to fill up the lack of transportation due to the community quarantine restrictions.  /rcg