Iloilo city: The Metro-Iloilo Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) on Monday launched a series of surveys as part of the feasibility study for the Metro Iloilo Integrated Public Transport System. In a phone interview, Fiebe Marie Rosal, Development Management Officer IV of the Iloilo City Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office and focal person for MIGEDC, stated that the surveys include traffic count, boarding and alighting, and ridership.
According to Philippines News Agency, the surveys will run until March 27 and will encompass Iloilo City and the municipalities of Oton, Pavia, Leganes, San Miguel, Sta. Barbara, and Cabatuan. The traffic count will involve a manual accounting of the total number of public utility vehicles (PUVs) operating in Metro Iloilo daily. The boarding and alighting survey will document PUVs arriving and departing from terminals, noting their times of departure and arrival. The ridership count will record the number of passengers boarding the PUVs per hour.
Rosal highlighted that the enumerators will capture all PUVs passing along highways and terminals, providing baseline data for the project and guiding consultants in recommending an integrated public transport system for Metro Iloilo. 'The enumerators will start at 6 a.m., working for 14 hours over five days. They are positioned in 78 stations in corridors and 15 terminals,' she said. The enumerators received training from the University of the Philippines-National Center for Transportation Studies.
Additionally, the Metro Iloilo Travel Diary, a household survey of commuters targeting at least 20,000 respondents, is ongoing. 'We have surpassed 50 percent, but the collection continues. In addition to Iloilo City respondents, those residing in Metro Iloilo towns also need to respond,' Rosal added.
Interested individuals are encouraged to visit the Facebook page of MIGEDC or the Iloilo City government to scan the Quick Response (QR) Code or link for the Metro Iloilo Travel Diary. Participation is encouraged for those living, working, or studying within the local government units covered by MIGEDC.
The Metro Iloilo Integrated Public Transport System Study, developed by Swedish consultant SweCo and funded by Swedfund, is being conducted in partnership with MIGEDC.
