𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄: 𝐋𝐓𝐎-𝟔 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐉𝐄𝐄𝐏𝐍𝐄𝐘, 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐔𝐓𝐄

By GEROME DALIPE

Before the sun had fully risen, Land Transportation Office — Region 6 Director Atty. Gaudioso P. Geduspan II was already wedged between morning commuters — not in his private vehicle, but on a jeepney headed for Jaro.

Following a directive from Acting Transportation Secretary Atty. Giovanni Lopez, Director Geduspan left his home in Pavia at first light and walked to GT Mall to catch a jeepney bound for Jaro Plaza. He made a quick stop at Jaro Cathedral to buy puto and pandesal, then boarded the Jaro–Leganes route for the short trip to the LTO regional office in Brgy. Quintin Salas, arriving about 6:22 a.m.

By 6 a.m., Director Geduspan said, the jeepneys were already packed. “Practically, nothing has changed since the time I was commuting from home to school,” he said, noting that many traditional jeepney units show visible signs of neglect and poor maintenance.

“You have to wake up early so you won’t experience traffic congestion, and you can commute faster,” Director Geduspan added, advising commuters who can shift their schedules to avoid peak crush hours.

The early-morning ride is part of a DOTr initiative that requires senior road and rail officials to use public transportation at least once a week. The memorandum from Acting Secretary Lopez also directs participants to submit weekly accomplishment reports documenting observations, recommendations and plans of action, along with proof of compliance.

The order covers top officials across road and rail agencies — from LTO regional directors to LTFRB leaders and managers of LRTA, PNR and MRT-3 — and Secretary Lopez has encouraged other DOTr sectors to join the exercises “to see and experience first-hand the difficulties faced by commuters.”

For Director Geduspan, the commute was both nostalgic and sobering: a reminder that transport policy and projects must contend with realities on cramped benches and narrow aisles. If officials hope to solve commuters’ problems, he said, they first need to ride the route.