Treñas pushes amendment of Jaro-Mandurriao franchise
The opinion of City Mayor Jerry Treñas regarding the issue on whether or not to amend the franchise of the Jaro - Mandurriao, vice versa, route defers from the legal opinion rendered by the City Legal Office (CLO).
In yesterday's interview, Treñas said operators of the Jaro - Mandurriao route have to amend their franchise before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to avoid more apprehensions from the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
Treñas said the decision was an offshoot of the series of meetings and discussions with directors Gerard Camiña of the LTO and Porferio Clavel of LTRB.
At least 10 drivers plying the Jaro - Mandurriao route were apprehended by members of the LTO days ago for loading passengers from a terminal in Brgy. Hibao-an, Mandurriao. LTO personnel used as basis for the arrest the drivers's act of going beyond the route indicated in their franchise which is only Jaro – Mandurriao and vice versa. While, jeepney drivers also banked on the city traffic ordinance that allows them to pick up passengers at the Hibao-an terminal.
Treñas said he has already informed the members and officers of the association regarding the outcome of his meeting with the LTFRB and LTO. They were given two weeks to amend their franchise that will allow them to reach until the Hibao-an jeepney terminal. At the same time, the city legal office was directed to assist the operators and drivers in the amendment of their current franchise, said Treñas.
Meanwhile, the legal opinion tendered by the City Legal Office through Atty. Giovanni Alfonso Miraflores stated that LTFRB "has no authority to regulate the traffic and prescribe routes of public utility vehicles in Iloilo City. The power solely and exclusively belongs to the local government unit."
The opinion was rendered after Neuens Mitch Antiqueña Jr. of the Traffic Technical Working Group made a verbal query to the City Legal Office last March 4, 2008.
Miraflores argued that the LTFRB cannot impose nor dictate the use or identification of a particular place, area or street in the city of Iloilo to be utilized as point of origin or passage, bus or vehicle stops or terminals of public utility vehicles. "The power to allocate, assign and designate areas for parking, vehicle stops, passage along the streets and terminals of public utility vehicles is an authority granted by law exclusively to the local government unit."