Iloilo City Council bars entry of tourist vans
The request of two transport services to operate tourist vans here was denied by the Sangguniang Panglungsod. It was referred to the City Legal Office (CLO) for comment.
The legislative body headed by Councilor Erwin Plagata, chair of the committee on transportation, communication and public utilities, considered the request of Five-O Transport Services Incorporated and SST Transport Incorporated as a “mockery of the regulatory ordinance” of the city which is the Perimeter Boundary Ordinance (PBO).
Five-O Transport Services Incorporated and SST Transport Incorporated through their counsel Atty. Janette Mae Dillomes of the Teruel and Teruel Law Office have written the council asking permission to allow the transport services to transport their passengers from the Iloilo airport in Cabatuan to the city.
The letter request was discussed in last Wednesday’s regular session of the Sangguniang Panglungsod. Dillomes’ letter was referred to Atty. Giovanni Miraflores of the City Legal Office for comment.
Dillomes argued that they were granted franchise by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to operate from the Iloilo airport to any point of Panay. The same letter requested the council to review the provisions embodied in the PBO.
The PBO regulates the entry of provincial public utility jeepneys and buses in the city. Provincial jeepneys and buses are only allowed to transport their passengers from their point of origin to the designated terminals.
The lawyer also hinted that they would be forced to seek redress from the court should the city government continue to deny their request to operate in the city.
The same letter was furnished to Mayor Jerry Treñas and Vice Mayor Jed Mabilog. The letter was dated September 3, 2009.
Plagata said the local government unit would be deprived of their police and regulatory power if these transport services are allowed to operate. The PBO would better be repealed if the city government permits them to transport their passengers to the city, said Plagata.
The national law could not supersede the ordinance. The creation of the ordinance was based on the Local Government Code empowering the local government units, Plagata added.
Tourist vans carrying the participants of Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) were also denied entry in the city. This generated misunderstanding between the implementers and the Department of Tourism.
Earlier, City Tourism Office head Ben Jimena encouraged investors to invest in tourist buses provided it will not be beyond the capacity of 38 seaters. Jimena noted that the city lacks tourist buses.