Clavel denies granting of new franchises for city PUJs
Clavel
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) regional director Porfirio Clavel denied the claims of a drivers group that his office has issued new franchises for passenger vehicles in the city despite the moratorium which has been in effect since year 2000.
"It's not true. We did not issue new franchises to any particular unit or group," Clavel told The News Today in a telephone interview.
"The new routes that they see are mere extensions of existing routes considering that the city implemented its Perimeter Boundary Ordinance," Clavel added.
Clavel said the modification of routes has the approval of the city government through its legislative body the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
However, he said, the Public Utility Jeepneys (PUJs) plying the newly created routes come from the existing routes and were not new franchise grantees. "They merely filed for amendment of their existing franchise," Clavel stressed.
Clavel cited the routes Jaro Liko – Iloilo City vice versa and Villa Arevalo – Iloilo City vice versa which, he said, extended their routes to cater to passengers going to the boundary terminals.
"These are just modifications of their existing routes to adapt to the changes being implemented in the city," Clavel added.
Earlier, Gaspar Grejarte, president of the SM City Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (SMCJODA), said they are planning to bring to the attention of City Councilor Erwin Plagata, the new chair of the committee on transportation, LTFRB's alleged continued issuance of franchises to new vehicles despite the moratorium.
Grejarte said they will be pushing that before any issuance of new franchises the LTFRB should consult first with the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
He cited the volume of public utility vehicles in the city as one factor of traffic congestion.
Grejarte, in previous interviews, said the number of public utility vehicles in the city at present is very much above the need of the commuters.
Clavel estimated that there are around 5,000 PUJs plying different routes in the city of Iloilo.