SP OKs reduction of departure rate of PUBs at WBTPM

THE 19th City Council during its regular session Monday presided over by Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin V. Uy enacted an ordinance provisionally reducing the rate of departure fee for Public Utility Buses at the Westbound Terminal from P50 to P30 per departure

for the duration only of the community quarantine in Cagayan de Oro City due to the COVID-19 pandemic, provided, that the same shall automatically revert back to the original rate immediately upon the lifting of the city’s community quarantine or when

the city will be back to normal.

This is in response to the requests of the Rural Transit Mindanao, Inc. (RTMI) and Super 5 Transport due to their very limited operation brought about by the pandemic for over a year now.

In a letter, RTMI vice president for operation Allan Valiente said the pandemic compelled the bus company to cease operations for some time and thereafter resumed operation with financial distress due to lesser passenger volume, social distancing limitations, and stricter government restrictions on travel and entry to certain localities.

He said despite this predicament and true to its public service commitment, the company continues to serve the riding public by providing bus transportation services.

The reduction of the rate of departure will be a huge economic relief to the company, he said.

For her part, EWBTPM OIC Jocelyn Peñalosa said her office believes that the grant of the request will help transport service providers overcome their continuing losses and will help them cope and mitigate the economic and financial fall-out brought from the

quarantine restrictions brought about by quarantine restrictions.

The legislation was reviewed and endorsed by the committees on economic enterprise and on laws and rules both chaired by Councilor Ian Mark Q. Nacaya.