ILOILO CITY – Twenty-three percent of passenger jeepneys in Western Visayas have yet to comply with the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program.
TRADITIONAL jeepneys continue to serve the riding public in Iloilo City. (Tara Yap)
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-6 said 77.2 percent of passenger jeepneys have consolidated into cooperatives or corporations under the program.
The agency said 6,584 jeepneys have consolidated into cooperatives as of April 30.
The province of Iloilo has the highest number of consolidated jeepneys with 98.7 percent, 98.2 percent in Guimaras, 97.4 percent in Antique, 91 percent in Negros Occidental, 89 percent in Aklan, 82 percent in Capiz, 75 percent in Iloilo City, and 50 percent in Bacolod City.
Salvador “Jun” Altura, LTFRB-6 officer-in-charge, said that not all areas in the region have complied with the program.
Altura said that passenger jeepneys will still operate pending the specific Local Public Transport Route Plans (LPTRPs) of local government units (LGUs).
“The old jeepneys will continue to operate. It’s a misconception,” Altura said in a phone interview on Wednesday, May 8. “Jeepneys will still serve passengers in areas that still need it,” Altura added.