The Ilocos Times

  By Bernardo B. Ver II  (Contributor) Senator Ma, Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos said that economic, logistical, and health considerations should prod the Department of Transportation (DoTr) to indefinitely put its public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program on hold and allow traditional jeepneys to resume operations. Ms. Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on economic reforms, said the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not only rendered most jeepney drivers jobless for the past seven months of community quarantine restrictions but has now made it impossible for them to afford modernized jeepneys with Euro-4 capability that cost PHP1.4 million to PHP2.2 million pesos each. The DoTr’s subsidies of PHP80,000 to buy a modernized jeepney and an extra PHP5,000 for gas were clearly insufficient, Ms. Marcos pointed out. The senator added that the short supply of modernized jeepneys for less than 5% of about 170,000 jeepney drivers, the lack of soci...

  Laoag City —The provincial government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) and "Arkila," a local delivery service provider, have collaborated to employ displaced public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers as delivery riders to service customers in various parts of the province. According to Atty. Nikki Pilar, Metro Ilocos Norte Council (MINC) project head, the provincial government has been creating COVID-19 recovery projects to alleviate the condition of the stakeholders in the public transportation sector. “One way to safeguard the livelihood of our affected PUV drivers is working with delivery entities since 50% of the transportation sector is only allowed to operate in the province. We contacted Arkila, the first delivery service provider that showed interest to our ‘IN BUYanihan Recovery Program’, to partner with the hiring of displaced drivers,” she remarked. Five driver-riders were already hired, with beneficiaries targeted at 50. They will follow a rotational shift in deliverin...

Laoag City —The city government here hiked tricycle fare to PHP20 for the first kilometer and an additional PHP2 for succeeding kilometer. The fare adjustment is part of the "new normal" as only one passenger is now allowed per tricycle. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, the city fare was at PHP12 for the first kilometer and an additional PHP2 for the succeeding kilometer. The new fare rate for persons with disabilities is PHP18. Senior citizens and students were not mentioned in the ordinance. The new fare rates will last until the general community quarantine is in effect; provided the GCQ lifting will also result in the rescinding of the one-passenger rule. Those who voted for the new fare rates are Laoag councilors Juan Conrado A. Respicio II, Handy T. Lao, Justine Clarence G. Chua, Edison U. Chua, Roque Benjamin C. Ablan, Jaybee G. Baquiran and Edison H. Bonoan. Voting against the ordinance were Laoag councilors Roger John C. Fariñas, Derrick B. Lao, and Jason ...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Laoag City —Tricycle drivers and operators in this city thanked the city government here for lowering the tricycle drivers’ identification card from PHP 100 to PHP 5. Laoag councilor Jaybee Baquiran made the announcement of the decrease in the cost after the Sangguniang Panlungsod here passed a resolution directing Laoag treasury office officer-in-charge Arturo Diomedes Gayban to “cease and desist” in collecting PHP 100 for the TDIC in. Mr. Baquiran stressed that the PHP 100 TDIC fee has no legal basis as there is no ordinance that justifies the collection of such fee. Mr. Gayban, however explained that the PHP 100 fee they collect is for the ID picture and lamination of TDICs. He also disclosed that they only began collecting PHP 100 for the TDIC after a private person began illegally printing and reproducing similar TDICs. The said person, he added, was arrested. He did not identify the said person. He also insisted t...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Laoag City —To cope with current economic demands, Laoag councilor Jason Bader Perera has introduced a measure to increase tricycle fare in this city from PHP11 to PHP13. The proposal also includes the same increase for calesa. Mr. Perera introduced the proposal during the council’s outreach session at Brgy. Casili, this city, for first reading and was later referred to the committees on laws, rules and regulations, and transportation. In October 2019, concerned stakeholders filed a petition to increase tricycle fares in the city to PHP15. The last fare increase in the city was enacted on April 13, 2011. Mr. Perera said he deemed the fare increase as “proper to cope up with the demands of tricycle drivers and operators”. “ Ta no kitkitaen tayo, iti presyo iti maysa a sardinas idi 2011 ket PHP12 laeng ket itan PHP18 iti kalakaanen dayta iti maysa a pakakitaan a ngimmato aminen iti magat-gatang ket kasta met dagiti...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY—To accommodate more passengers in this northern gateway of Luzon, the Philippine Airlines (PAL) added two Laoag to manila flights per week. Previously, there were 10 PAL weekly flights. The Ilocos Norte tourism office led Aian Raquel confirmed this on as he announced “Tuesdays and Thursdays will now have additional evening flights at 8:45PM.” These additional flight schedules are effective this November until March 2020. For the information of passengers, the Manila-Laoag flights are the following:   Monday, 7:05PM; Tuesday, 11:30AM and 7:05PM; Wednesday, 7:05PM; Thursday, 11:30AM and 7:05PM; Friday, 11:30AM and 7:05PM; Saturday, 11:30AM and 7:05PM; Sunday, 11:30AM and 7:05PM. The Philippine Airlines is the only airline servicing Laoag-bound passengers after the Philippines budget airline Cebu Pacific suspended flights to Laoag on January 2017. Until now, the budget airline has not resumed flights to L...

Admitirenda man wenno saan, adu dagiti pulitiko ti mabutbuteng la unay iti makunkuna a “tricycle power” wenno “tricycle vote”. Dakkel ti bilang dagiti tricycle-fo- hire iti agdama. Ket no i- multiply mo pay dayta iti bilang dagiti kamkameng ti pamilyada, posible a dakkel ti epektona iti botos ti kada kandidato.   Isu a saan a nakaskasdaaw a manmano dagiti opisial a mangayat a mangsagid iti issue ti traysikelan—lisianda wenno agpamemmemda iti dayta a topiko. Madlawan nga uray nagadun dagiti reklamo seknan kadagiti abusado a tricycle driver , dandani awan ti mangngegam manipud kadagiti agpanpanday-linteg. Masansan, dagiti laeng “playing safe statement” ti maituredda nga iyebkas. Isu a dagiti pada a pasahero ti kakaasi. Piman ta uray inaldawda nga agreklamo iti traffic division ken agikkis iti social media , awan ti pagbalbaliwan dagiti bulok a traysikelan, fuera delos buenos. Ngamin, tapno madisiplinaan dagitoy, masapul nga ikkan koma dagiti local legislator...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Batac City —The city government here will soon implement the new PHP14 fare rate in the city. The fare rate increased from PHP11 to PHP14. Batac councilor Bismark Quidang, who chairs the Batac council’s committee on transportation, made the announcement. In his report during a Sangguniang Panlungsod session, he said he was “surprised why this ordinance was not yet implemented wherein this was approved by the previous Sanggunian last December 2018 and reviewed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan March this year”. The approved regular fare of PHP14 is for the first 1.5 kilometers and an additional PHP1 for every succeeding kilometer or any fraction thereof. Students, senior citizens and person with disabilities (PWDs) fare is P11.20, or a 20 percent discount provided identification cards is presented.          Batac Vice mayor and council presiding officer Atty. Windell D. Chua said this ...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY—Commuters that often travel out of the province are excited with the announcement of taxis that will soon serve the Ilocos Region. In support of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program of the Duterte administration, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board announced the opening of taxi franchise in Ilocos region. The LTFRB will initially open 75 franchises for the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan. For an overseas Filipino worker from Burgos, Ilocos Norte, Alma Gaoiran said this is a good development among Ilocos residents especially those who have no private vehicles like her to fetch her when arriving at the Laoag International Airport. “The presence of taxi in Ilocos is interesting. It’s more convenient for us commuters when we need to catch up a flight or when we go to farther destination,” said Ms. Gaoiran who narrated the inconvenience of riding a t...