NEWLY installed Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 10 director Alexes Joseph Bendijo vowed to work with local government units (LGUs) in fasttracking the implementation of the local public transport route plan (LPTRP) in their respective vicinities.
In an interview during his first day in office March 2, Bendijo said that LPTRP is necessary for the whole public transport modernization program to work.
In 2017, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) issued an order mandating LGUs to craft their own LPTRP to be embedded in the modernization.
But last year, Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando Uy suspended the implementation of the plan following confusion from both drivers and motorists of the new routes.
A few weeks ago, Councilor Roger Abaday lobbied for the lifting of the suspension and said it is already the appropriate time for the public to be familiar with the new routes.
Bendijo immediately put his words into action.
During the same day, Bendijo conducted a meeting with the Cagayan de Oro Road and Traffic Administration (RTA) to discuss matters concerning the implementation and continuing development of the LPTRP.
The meeting focused on strengthening coordination between LTFRB 10 and the RTA to ensure the effective planning, evaluation, and implementation of sustainable and responsive public transport routes within the city.
Discussions likewise emphasized alignment of local transport initiatives with national modernization objectives.
This engagement forms part of LTFRB Region X’s continuing commitment to work closely with local government partners and stakeholders in advancing efficient, safe and commuter-oriented public transportation services in Northern Mindanao under the Bagong Pilipinas vision.
Along this line, Bendijo also called on LGUs to follow the principle of integration in their respective routes to maximize the pickup of passengers along the way and ease traffic.
He said that the new routes must be connected with the various intermodal transport hubs used by the public.
In a separate text message, Northern Mindanao Federation of Transport Cooperatives president Luzminda Escobidal said she is hinting at paying a courtesy call to Bendijo tomorrow to lobby for the implementation of the LPTRP in Cagayan de Oro City and in the areas where her 42 transport cooperatives operate.
A staunch supporter of the modernization program, the federation was disappointed when then Transportation Secretary Vivencio Dizon suspended its implementation indefinitely in 2024.
Other areas that Bendijo are expected to check is bureaucratic delay in the issuance of documents at LTFRB and alleged proliferation of colorum vehicles.
He said the agency will coordinate with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to constantly conduct surprise inspections against colorum vehicles.
Bendijo swapped positions with the now newly installed LTFRB 7 director Abosamen Matuan.
