The Metro-Iloilo Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) on Monday, March 23, launched a series of surveys as part of the feasibility study to come up with a Metro Iloilo Integrated Public Transport System.

Fiebe Marie Rosal, Development Management Officer IV of the Iloilo City Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office and focal person for MIGEDC, said the surveys consisted of traffic count, boarding and alighting and ridership.

The surveys will run up to March 27 and will cover Iloilo City and the municipalities of Oton, Pavia, Leganes, San Miguel, Sta. Barbara and Cabatuan.

The traffic count will take a manual accounting of the total number of public utility vehicles (PUVs) plying Metro Iloilo daily; boarding and alighting will account for all PUVs arriving and departing from terminals, including their time of departure and arrival; and ridership count will record the number of passengers boarding the PUVs per hour.

Rosal said the enumerators will capture all PUVs passing along highways and terminals, which will serve as baseline data for the project, and will serve as a basis for consultants to recommend an integrated public transport for Metro Iloilo.

“The enumerators will start at 6 a.m., for 14 hours for five days. They are positioned in 78 stations in corridors and 15 terminals,” she said.

The enumerators were trained by the University of the Philippines-National Center for Transportation Studies.

Also ongoing is the Metro Iloilo Travel Diary, a household survey of commuters targeting at least 20,000 respondents.

“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,” she said.

Those who are interested in participating are advised to check the Facebook page of MIGEDC or the Iloilo City government and scan the Quick Response (QR) Code or link for the Metro Iloilo Travel Diary.

Those who are living, working, or studying in schools within the local government units covered by MIGEDC are encouraged to join the survey.

The Metro Iloilo Integrated Public Transport System Study, developed by Swedish consultant SweCo and funded by Swedfund, is being undertaken in partnership with the MIGEDC.PNA