CITY COUNCIL URGES SUSPENSION OF TOURIST ROUTES AMID TRANSPORT GROUP COMPLAINTS

May 11, 2025 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY

Amid growing concerns from transport groups, the Baguio City Council has requested the Land Transportation and Franchising Board-Cordillera (LTFRB-CAR) and the City Engineering Office-Traffic and Transportation Management Division (CEO-TTMD) to suspend operations of all tourism lines under the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP). Under Baguio City’s LPTRP, two routes have been
designated as tourism lines. One covers Mines View, Camp John Hay, PMA, SM, and Burnham Park. The other includes Burnham Park,
Lourdes Grotto, Tam-awan Village, and Stone Kingdom.

During the city council’s regular session on May 7, 2025, Atty Jeffrey Buena, OIC of Regional Franchising and Regulatory Office, explained that these tourism lines are routes for modern public utility jeepneys (PUJs). Despite its name, a tourism line is not meant exclusively for tourist transport services but is a fixed public transport route meant for PUJs which are open to all passengers. Buena said transport groups servicing places covered by these tourism lines had expressed concerns, fearing a negative impact on their livelihood.

Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan proposed removing the provision in the LPTRP that includes and implements these two tourism routes. He argued that the introduction of these tourism lines bypasses or circumvents existing PUJ routes as they may overlap with regular routes. Department of Transportation-Cordillera (DOTr-CAR) Development Officer II Engr. Elmer Mendoza said that no applications had been submitted yet for tour route operations along these lines. Due to the lack of applications and opposition from transport groups, the LTFRB-CAR has not proceeded with awarding the routes.

Tourist Transport Units Found Violating Franchise Terms
The city council’s appeal to suspend these two tourism lines in the LPTRP stemmed from a report cited by Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda regarding tourist vans allegedly operating on regular routes plied by accredited UV Express vans which is against franchise regulations. Atty. Jessie Balagot, legal officer of DOTr-CAR, clarified that tourist franchises are granted to vans specifically to serve both local and foreign tourists by transporting them to various destinations and not to operate like regular public transport services.

He explained that the legal intent is for tourist transport operators to cater to travelers on a chartered, pre-arranged basis, often as part of
tour packages or group travel, and not to pick up or drop off passengers along fixed and regular routes. Balagot reported that some tourist transport operators had been caught violating these terms. During roadside inspections, some tourist vehicles were found to be illegally operating on fixed routes, similar to ordinary public utility vehicles (PUVs), which constitutes a misuse of their franchise since they are effectively functioning as unlicensed public transport vehicles when they do so.

Jordan G. Habbiling/SP