BETHSER DABLO
Tangub News Desk
Tangub City—This city is giving the riding public a peace of mind with the implementation of its alternative transportation service using shuttle cabs, under its “Libot Tangub” program.
The operation of shuttle cabs is embodied in City Ordinance 2008-01-482 and is designed to make the city a “walkable city,” teaching the people to walk and its use of shuttle cabs a way to teach people the discipline of time.
Mayor Jennifer Wee-Tan explained the shuttle cabs will in no way compete with ordinary transportation delivery service like the habal-habal and the trisikad because commuters are only givena third choice.
These cabs, added Tan, follow prearranged routes; will start 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 pm, weekdays and 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends, will not unload and pick up passengers anywhere, and uses prepaid cards for fare.
With or without passengers, the cab will leave in its designated departure time. Passengers bringing bulky baggages are not allowed on board.
City Administrator Tessie Lomanta also explained the shuttle cabs service two routes: the first one will start in its central station at the Integrated Jeepney Terminal (IJT) going to ten substations.
These substations are the Tangub City Police Station, Governor Alfonso D. Tan substation, Tangub Livelihood Technology substation, DA substation, ACAWAE sub station, Doña Maria Memorial Hospital substation, Tangub City National High School substation, Tangub City Central School substation, Rural Bank of Tangub City substation and Best Bike substation and vice versa.
Route two will serve commuters going to the villages and towards the state college from central station in IJT, to eight substations: Brgy. V substation, San Apolinario substation, Garang substation, Maquilao substation, Labuyo substation, Sta.Cruz substation, Brgy. 1V substation to Brgy 3 substation and back.
These two routes use different kinds of cards or tickets, each completing 30 rides. The cards are classified as Red Card, priced at P5.00 for the regular route. Blue Card and Green Card priced at P2.50 are for students and senior citizens.
The driver punches the card before the passenger boards the cab. If a group wishes to ride and only one holds a card, the driver punches the number of boxes corresponding to the number of people in the group.
For his part, Vice Mayor Edemar Alota announces the city council has released the guidelines of giving half fares to students, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, government employees, public school teachers and barangay officials.
Meanwhile, Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology president, lawyer Philip Tan commented that the said shuttle cabs will brighten the city as well as attract tourists.
Tan assures that if the program, which is patterned after Sweden and Australia, becomes successful; its operations will be extended to other the barangays.
“Libot Tangub” is also an answer to the growing number of tourists visiting the city, beams Tan, as the so-called Shuttle Cab Management Board is now being organized to look after the shuttle cabs’ operations. WITH REPORTS FROM JUDITH TABLAN