CAGAYAN de Oro City Hall has the authority to accommodate bao-baos or tri-cabs into the city’s local public transport route plan (LPTRP), a minority councilor said on Wednesday.

“Those alternative transport like bao-bao which the government considers as illegal rose out of necessity, they are products that were produced to address a need (for viable transport). During late hours, a lot of commuters need public transport so I wrote the RTA (Roads and Traffic Administration) about considering a route plan for bao-baos,” Councilor Agapito Suan said.

During the program ‘Ang Inyong Konseho Karon’ hosted by the City Information Office, Suan said City Hall should look for creative ways to incorporate the bao-baos into the city’s local routes in order to provide not only livelihood to its operators but also a viable transport choice for the riding public.

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS NEEDED. Councilor Agapito Suan said during the program ‘Ang Inyong Konseho Karon’ hosted by the City Information Office that City Hall can accommodate the bao-baos without sacrificing its compliance to a DILG circular prohibiting their presence on the national highways. CIO photo grab

Suan said this days after RTA chief Engr. Nonito Oclarit confirmed that a forum on the latest developments of the LPTRP will be held on Aug. 17.

Oclarit said City Hall is bound to implement a circular by the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) mandating all local governments to enforce the ban on tri-cabs and other tri-wheel passenger vehicles at the national highways.

As far as motorelas are concerned, Oclarit said these vehicles service ‘feeder routes’ or the city’s interior roads since they bring the commuters to the areas or terminals that house the modern public utility vehicles (PUVs).

While acknowledging that the DILG circular specifically prohibits bao-baos on national highways, Suan said there are options.

“That’s what we’re discussing at the (City Council’s public utilities committee). So (excluding or outside the national highways) maybe we can accommodate the bao-baos at the rightmost lane..so let’s think of new ways to accommodate them,” he said.

Oclarit earlier said the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB-10) regional office instructed six transport groups based in the city to service commuters from 5 pm to 5 am the following day.

He also said they will provide security to these PUVs whose drivers claimed they were being harassed by bao-bao drivers who fetch these commuters. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)