In collaboration with UP Visayas, the Iloilo City Government and the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Iloilo City held the first-ever Iloilo City Transport Summit on 30 August 2022 at the UPV Little Theater, Iloilo City Campus. The summit brought together local government officials in the City and Province of Iloilo and stakeholders to identify concrete solutions to the current challenges surrounding the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP).
Atty. Sedfrey Cabaluna, the Chairman of the Committee on Transportation of the City Council, opened the daylong program by giving attendees an overview of the current state of the LPTRP and what the summit intends to achieve long term. Chancellor Clement C. Camposano, during his message, emphasized the importance of collaborative work to advance growth and development in the city.
The morning session involved the presentation of the concept behind the LPTRP, the identified problems involving the Iloilo City LPTRP, the proposed Iloilo City modified jeepney routes, the salient points of the Iloilo Province LPTRP, and an open forum.
Jek Conlu, head of the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO), presented several recurring issues surrounding the present LPTRP. These include passengers paying an extra amount to get to their destination, loss of coverage in several key areas in the city, consistent appeals from the public to bring back the old routes, and additional travel time for some unmodified routes, among others.
In the afternoon, professors from the UP College of Management, headed by the dean Atty. Christopher Honorario facilitated the group discussions among the various attendees to solicit other issues, concerns, and recommendations to fortify the city’s LPTRP. Sectoral presentations, further discussions, and integration were done at the end of the workshop.
Also present during the summit were representatives from the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), ABC District Presidents, Barangay Councilors League of the Philippines, City Planning and Development Office, Provincial Planning Development Office, Iloilo City Police Office, United Nations Development Program, terminal operators, schools and universities, vendors sector, business sector, 16 transport cooperatives in Iloilo City, transport associations from Bacolod City, and cause-oriented groups including Bayan-Panay, Panay Consumer Alliance, Confederation for the Unity, Recognition, and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE)-Panay, and Homeless People’s Federations of the Philippines Region 6.
