Public transport ‘shortage’ hurts Boracay residents

AKLAN, Philippines – Malay town Sangguniang Bayan member Maylynn Aguirre Graf said there was a ‘shortage’ of public transport vehicles plying the routes in Boracay Island.

The commuters, she stressed, are struggling to reach their destinations because 90% of tricycles and electric tricycles (e-trikes) in the island are hired by tourists.

“Hindi na sila nagpapasakay ng mga residente at ordinaryong mamamayan dahil halos lahat arkilado na. Araw araw ganito ang sitwasyon, no choice ang publiko kundi sumakay sa mga motorsiklo,” she said on January 15.

(The ordinary residents and commuters have no public rides because almost all the transportations have been availed. It is the same dire situation every day. So, the public have no choice to ride on rented motorcycles.)

Graf said local officials must act to address the public transport shortage to help lower income groups, elderly people, school children, patients and women in the island.

“It would be unfair for the commuters in Boracay. We have to think outside the box to serve our riding public. This is the situation before the island was closed and it happened again this time. Nakikita natin ang kahirapan ng mga tao, dinaanan lang sila ng mga tricycles at e-trikes,” she stressed. (We can the suffering of ordinary people, the tricycles and e-trikes just pass by and ignore them.)

Officials of the Boracay Land Transport Multi-purpose Cooperative (BLTMPC) will be asked to appear in the next regular session of Sangguniang Bayan of Malay on the abject lack of public transport in the island.

“Chartered trips are allowed in our municipal ordinance. This is true, na may mga public transport vehicles na dalawa or tatlo ang sakay, at mostly foreigners, at ayaw na silang magpasakay,” town councilor Dante Pagsuguiron said. (This is true, there are public transport vehicles which only have two or 3 passengers, mostly foreigners, and they refuse to take on more riders.)

SB member Frolibar Bautista said the Department of Energy (DoE) is donating 180 energy efficient electric tricycles to improve the public transport system in Boracay Island.

“It is a social obligation of BLTMPC to assist and transport the commuters in Boracay. They have to assign a certain number of units for Manoc-Manoc and Yapak routes to address the situation,” he added.  – Rappler.com