CEBU, Philippines - The committees on urban planning and development and the transportation and other utilities of the Cebu City council want that legal issues on the opening of new PUJ routes to Sitio Abaca Barangay Apas is settled first with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board before they will recommend its approval to the council.
Councilor Augustus “Jun” Pe, Jr., chairperson of the committee on transportation, said they want to know the scope of the new franchise because it appears to be exclusive for the members of the Alliance of Barangay Apas Community Association.
“The committee does not object but it is within the LTFTRB to consider the matter if such is within their laws, rules and regulations,” Pe said.
Councilor Noel Wenceslao, chairperson of the urban planning committee, also said that while his committee is not opposed to the opening of the new route for PUJs plying Sitios Plaza and Mahayahay in Apas to Asiatown IT Park in Lahug to the vicinity of Country Mall on Barangay Banilad but some legal issues have to be settled first with the LTFRB.
According to Wenceslao, the exclusivity of the franchise to Sitio Abaca residents contravenes Section 11 of Article XII on National Economy and Patrimony.
Under the law, it states that “No exclusive franchise, certificate or authorization be exclusive in character.”
Residents of Sitio Abaca earlier asked the city council to open the new route.
The City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) has endorsed the request.
Traffic operations officers Jeffrey Llauderes and Rosario Dosdos said Sitios Plaza and Mahayahay are situated in the interior part of Barangay Apas which are not being serviced by public transport other than habal-habal or motorcycles-for-hire.
The roads leading to these sitios are yet to be fully developed although already passable to small type of vehicles. (THE FREEMAN)