Protocol violation citation tickets issued to 73 PUVs on Sept. 2

By: Mae Fhel Gom-os - 3 years ago

Photo courtesy of Cebu City Transportation Office FB page

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — At least 73 public utility vehicles (PUVs) plying Cebu City routes were issued citation tickets on the first day of the implementation of the protocol violation citation ticket (PVCT).

Paul Gotiong, spokesperson of the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO), told CDN Digital that the majority of the apprehensions were modernized jeepneys (PUJ) caught violating health protocols on Thursday, September 2, or on the day they started the issuance of PVCT with an administrative fine of P1,000.

Apart from the 73 apprehensions, two MPUJs were also impounded.

One was caught overloading passengers while the other violated the social distancing protocol for the second time. The apprehended drivers, however, were able to settle their offenses within the day.

Though he could not give the exact breakdown yet, Gotiong said there were conductors and passengers who were also issued PVCT for not wearing their face masks properly.

There were also taxis being apprehended for not opening their windows while driving with passengers on board as well as for not following the seating capacity.

He emphasized that under the City Ordinance 2628 or “An ordinance penalizing any violation in relation to the implementation of General or Enhanced Community Quarantine in Cebu City during Public Health Crisis by including therein the imposed curfew hours as well as the safety and health protocols in all Public Utility and Private motor vehicles, prescribing the use of Citation Tickets for violations,” all PUVs violating such protocols are impoundment upon apprehension.

And with the continued rise of COVID-19 cases in the city, Gotiong said they could no longer afford to risk the safety of everyone.

“We have been reminding and educating the Operator/Drivers without apprehending them because we understand the burden of the transport industry during this pandemic but still they continue to violate,” he said.

Gotiong clarified that they are still exercising maximum tolerance since the creation of the revised PUV protocols up until today, stressing that they do not want to inconvenience the riding public.

“Actually, all apprehension based on the City Ordinance is impoundment upon apprehension. Pero max tolerance lang mi because we do not want to give inconvenience sa riding public. Kani uban nga badlongon gyud mao to gi sampolan,” he said.

Failure to settle their offenses to the CCTO within 48 hours after the issuance of the PVCT will be considered as their first offense, Gotiong said.

For drivers and operators, they will need to pay a fine of P1,500 and P3,500 for the first and second offense, respectively, while their CCTO or Balik Pasada Program ID will be revoked and confiscated.

Under the revised PUV protocol in Cebu City, everyone should observe the following: the proper wearing of face mask and face shield; no talking; no eating; opening of all windows and doors of the PUVs, as applicable; regular disinfection of the vehicle especially frequently touched surfaces such as but not limited to armrests, handles, etc.; barring symptomatic passengers from boarding the PUV through individual checking of body temperature; maintaining proper physical distancing at all times (plastic barriers must be installed, maintained and sanitized); no overloading (no standing, no double-seating, and no hooking-up); and compliance with passenger safety capacity.