September 27, 2022
THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Central Visayas is asking different local government units (LGUs) to expedite the crafting of their transport route plan.
LTFRB Central Visayas Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. said Tuesday, September 27, 2022, that only three LGUs in the region have finished creating their Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP).
The crafting of an LPTRP is a requirement of a government-owned bank to release loans for the purchase of modern public utility jeepneys (MPUJs), he said.
“Our target is dependent on two things. First is the formulation of the LPTRP, which is the prerequisite of getting a loan from government banks. No LPTRP, no loan. That’s why the release of loans has been delayed,” he said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
In a previous interview, Montealto explained that the goal of the LPTRP is to create an equilibrium between the demand for public transport and the number of public utility vehicles plying the roads.
During Cebu City’s first Mobility Summit on Monday, September 26, Montealto reported that 1,160 MPUJs already ply the roads of Central Visayas.
Montealto also reminded all franchise holders of traditional PUJs to incorporate or join transport cooperatives by March 2023 to continue their operations.
Being a member of a cooperative or corporation is also a requirement to secure a loan for the acquisition of MPUJs, he added. (IRT, PJB)