The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance that seeks to further amend Ordinance No. 66, series of 1995 that earlier required all jeepney operators and drivers associations in the city to provide jeepney units for passengers until 9 o’clock in the evening.
Under the proposed amendatory ordinance, Ordinance No. 66, series of 1995 as amended by Ordinance No. 1333, series of 2018 will be amended and shall be known as an ordinance extending the mandatory operation of all public utility jeepneys in the city.
Further, all jeepney operators and drivers associations operating within the city, except inter-municipality jeepneys, shall at all times maintain available units for passengers from 8 o’clock to 10 o’clock in the evening.
The ordinance stated that there should be not less than three units for associations with associations with not more than fifteen units while there shall also be not less than five units for associations with 16-25 units.
Jeepney associations shall also maintain not less than eight units for those groups with 26-35 units and not less than ten units for associations with more than 35 units.
In case of merger of two or more associations, the ordinance stipulated that the groups shall maintain the minimum number of units for routes being serviced in the different parts of the city.
For single associations serving two or more routes, the ordinance stated that it shall also maintain the minimum number of units per route as earlier specified.
Nothing in the proposed measure shall prohibit any jeepney operator, driver or jeepney operators and drivers association from extending their services beyond the operatory operation of jeepneys set in the said ordinance.
However, the number of units earlier stipulated may be increased upon the recommendation of the Traffic and Transportation Management Division of the City Engineering Office when public necessity requires.
Any jeepney operators and drivers association that shall not comply with the pertinent provisions of the proposed ordinance shall have its designated parking space revoked in favor of the groups that can comply with the established conditions
Moreover, the Traffic and Transportation Management Division of the City Engineering Office may recommend to the Department of Transportation and the land transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for the suspension and revocation of the driver’s licenses of non-compliant drivers.
The ordinance tasked the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), the CEO-TTMD, barangay tanods and personnel of the Public Order and Safety Division assigned in the central business district and the LTFRB to monitor the strict implementation of the provisions of the proposed measure. The monitoring team may, when necessary, recommend to the City Mayor or the City Council for the exemption of jeepneys from the coverage of the Number Coding Ordinance. By Dexter A. See
