LGU Baguio OKs La Trinidad’s request for PUJ odd-even scheme

January 23, 2022 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY – The City Government of Baguio approved the request of La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda and the Federation of Jeepney Associations La Trinidad Trunkline (FeJaLT) for the reversion of the odd-even number coding scheme for public utility jeepneys (PUJ) plying the La Trinidad-Baguio and Vice Versa route.
In his letter to Mayor Benjamin Magalong dated December 22, 2021, Januario Borillo, head of the City Engineering Office- Traffic and Transportation Management Division (CEO-TTMD), stated that the Baguio Traffic Management Working Group (TMWG) decided adopting an odd-even number coding scheme during this pandemic is feasible.
The approval, however, came with conditions. Only eight units at a time should be allowed at the loading area beside the Pilando building for jeepneys bound for Magsaysay Avenue during non-peak hours (9:00 AM to 3:00 PM).
During peak hours in the morning and afternoon, the concerned jeepney associations may determine the number of jeepneys at the loading area depending on the needs, provided there is always a designated person to direct the entry of jeepneys from the main road to the loading area.
On the other hand, the PUJs bound for Bokawkan Road should continue to strictly comply with the window hours for unloading passengers in front of the Insular Life building from 5:30 AM to 10:00 AM.
The odd-even number coding scheme will increase the number of times a jeepney unit will operate in a week.
In 2020, the PUJs of the La Trinidad trunkline were allowed to operate only twice a week in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
With the reversion to the odd-even number coding scheme, from only twice a week, the PUJs are now allowed to operate four times a week.
Miguel Luma-ang, president of FeJaLT, said there is an urgent need to dispatch more units to ply the Baguio-La Trinidad route because of the long queues of passengers at the terminals especially during rush hours.
According to him, these passengers are not purely La Trinidad locals. Some of them are tourists visiting the Strawberry Farm.
He likewise said the reversion to the odd-even number scheme will not only meet the increased demand for public transportation but will also help the PUJ drivers and operators to slowly recover from the effects of community quarantine restrictions.
(JGH-SP/ABN)