LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Mayor Romeo K. Salda recently issued Executive Order No. 004, series of 2020, temporarily modifying the vehicle number coding scheme for public utility jeepneys (PUJs) in the municipality to pave the way for the implementation of the odd-even scheme to help ease the worsening traffic congestion in the municipality and for other purposes it may serve.
Under Salda’s order, PUJs with license plate numbers ending in 1,3,5,7 and 9 will be prohibited to operate every Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays while jeepneys having license plate numbers ending in 2,4,6,8 and 0 will be prohibited to operate every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Ordinance No. 13, series of 2011, otherwise known as the La Trinidad Coding Scheme, was enacted and implemented thereafter through Administrative Order No. 5, series of 2013, to help in reducing the worsening traffic congestion around the municipality.
Rule 2, Section 4 of the aforesaid order stated that public utility jeepneys with license plate numbers ending in 1,3,5,7 and 9 are prohibited to operate or pass through the stretch of the Halsema highway starting at Bell church, Km. 3 up to the bridge at Poblacion on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays while jeepneys with license plate numbers ending in 2,4,6,8 and 0 are prohibited to pass through the same route every |Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Previously, the Baguio City government issued Administrative Order No. 05, series of 2020 which amended provision No. 2, the odd-even scheme of Administrative Order No. 17, series of 2010 wherein PUJs with license plate numbers ending in 1,3,5,7 and 9 are prohibited to operate every Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays while jeepneys with license plate numbers ending in 2,4,6,8 and 0 are now prohibited to operate every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Salda noted that most PUJs in the municipality have terminals in Baguio City or load and unload passengers therein and that their operation will be significantly affected by the aforesaid change in the implementation of the odd-even scheme, thus, the need for the municipal government to issue a similar executive issuance that will synchronize the odd-even scheme being implemented in Baguio city and the municipality.
The city chief executive underscored that with the alteration in the schedule of operation of public utility jeepneys being temporarily implemented in Baguio city and the fact that most of La Trinidad jeepneys enter the city, it is but proper for the municipal government to change the municipality’s existing vehicle coding scheme to be synchronized with that of the city government to avoid confusion among the operators, drivers and even passengers.
He explained that there is a need for the municipal government to ensure that the local transport sector and the commuting public should not suffer the consequences of the changes in the implementation of traffic schemes, thus, the initiative of the municipal government to synchronize its own odd-even scheme to what is being implemented by the city government to ensure the smooth operation of the transport sector.
Salda expressed optimism that the smooth flow of traffic in Baguio City and La Trinidad will continue amidst the sudden change in the implementation of the odd-even scheme and for the transport sector and the commuting public to make the necessary adjustments the soonest.
By Hent
Photo by Armando Bolislis
