Labangon council want PUJ route extended

CEBU, Philippines - Labangon barangay officials are now requesting the Cebu City government to extend the route of the passenger jeepneys plying Salvador Street so that these public utility vehicles can serve more people, especially the students.

The Labangon barangay council headed by Barangay Captain Victor Buendia proposed that once the PUJ’s with route 07D coming from Banawa will reach Salvador corner Katipunan Street, they would be required to make a left turn and proceed to Katipunan Street.

From Katipunan Street, the PUJ’s will be required again to make a right turn and proceed to Tres de Abril Street, then turn right to Salvador Extention and back to its destination passing Salvador Street to Capitol.

The Labangon barangay council sees it appropriate to amend the existing route of the PUJ’s by extending the travel line to Katipunan Street then to Tres de Abril Street to serve students of a private university who are residents of Sitio Banawa in Barangay Guadalupe.

“The suggested route is a more plausible alternative as more people are benefited, specially the students of the schools engulfed by the route,” said Buendia.

The barangay officials said the trisikads and habal-habal motorcycles thrive in Labangon because of the lack of transportation in that area.

Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña brought up the matter with the Cebu City Council, but it was decided that the matter shall be reviewed first by the Committee on Traffic Management chaired by Councilor Ritchie Osmeña.

The barangay council of Labangon had earlier passed an ordinance regulating the operation of motorcycles-for-hire or “habal’habal” by having them registered by the barangay.

But Councilor Sisinio Andales, who chairs the City Council’s Committee on Laws and Ordinances, rejected the proposal because Republic Act 4136 or the Transportation and Traffic Code did not provide that motorcycles may be used as vehicles-for-hire.  (FREEMAN)