Terminals, stops sought for PUJs, Beeps in city

CEBU, Philippines — A measure seeking to establish proper jeepney and bus-jeep (Beep) terminals and stops in Cebu City is being proposed in the City Council.

Jeepneys and beeps have designated routes but no designated stops. If there is, most jeepney and beeps drivers do not follow it.

Jeepneys are often blamed for the traffic congestion due to their indiscriminate stopping, loading or unloading of passengers.

As mandated in the Local Government Code of 1991, “the Local Government Units (LGUs) to plan and implement programs, projects and activities which includes the provision of access and mobility to people through public transportation services for them to utilize and enable them to participate in the different socioeconomic activities and amenities of the LGUs.”

Thus, Councilors Raul Alcoseba and Councilor Eugenio Gabuya Jr. are pushing for an ordinance to establish proper jeepney and Beep terminals and stops to improve public transportation.

The measure also seeks to penalize erring jeepney and Beep drivers, operators, and even passengers to install discipline to the commuting public.

The proposed ordinance has been referred to the Committee on Laws.

Within one year from the effectivity of the proposed ordinance, concerned agencies together with the local government shall establish jeepneys and beep terminals, one in the south and one in the north.

Also, jeepney and Beep stops shall be established on usual routes, considerably on areas where passengers usually board and alight and these stops are required to not be less than 100 meters away from each other.

A seminar shall also be conducted by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Cebu City Traffic Office (CCTO) every January and July of the year for PUJ and beep drivers on traffic rules and regulations, road etiquette, the creation of the new terminals and stops, and also the penalties under this ordinance.

When a driver loads or unloads a passenger at a non-designated area, the penalty for first offense is a fine of P500, for second offense, P2,000, and for the third offense, P3,000 plus the driver required to undergo a traffic seminar.

The City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) shall collect the fines paid, 25 percent of which will go to the barangay in where the offense was committed and the rest goes to the local government of Cebu. (FREEMAN)