LTFRB now part of Mactan bridge board

CEBU, Philippines - The Mactan Cebu Bridge Management Board has finally installed the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board as one of its members.

LTFRB-7 Director Ahmed Cuizon attended the yearend meeting of MCBMB held recently at the Provincial Capitol where he was formally welcomed by the board members.

“On behalf of LTFRB, I’m certainly very happy to be part of this very dynamic group looking after the facilities which are very important to the development of Cebu,” Cuizon said.

The involvement of LTFRB in the board discussion was raised in previous meetings after a public utility jeepney caught fire while on the bridge, posing great danger to other vehicles but most of all to the bridge.

It is within the jurisdiction of LTFRB to determine if the PUJ or any public utility vehicles are still worthy to be issued franchise.

“These things of course are very important so that we can be able to effectively maximize the use of the bridge and at the same time be helpful at least in reducing traffic congestion on the bridge by managing all the routes and coming up also with recommendation as with regards to PUVs traversing over both bridges,” Cuizon said.

The MCBMB was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 181 signed by deposed president Joseph Estrada on December 9, 1999.

The Board is composed of the regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways as ex-officio chairman, the chairman of the Regional Development Council as ex-officio co-chairman, the governor, the Mandaue City mayor, the Lapu-Lapu City mayor, the Cebu City mayor, the mayor of the Municipality of Cordova, the PNP regional director, the Land of Transportation Office-7 regional director and two private sector representatives.

The MCBMB was established to coordinate the activities of concerned agencies with regards to the development, management, and use of the two bridges connecting the Island of Mactan and the mainland of Cebu under the supervision of the Central Visayas Regional Development Council. (FREEMAN)