What started as a typical afternoon soon turned into a struggle as students and workers found themselves stranded in different parts of the city.
Reason? Multicabs, the primary mode of public transportation to and from Palo, Leyte, were suddenly banned from entering downtown Tacloban starting last September 5.
This unexpected change left countless passengers confused and helpless during the rush hours as they tried to get a ride back home.
Drivers for Campetic who were stationed close to Robinsons Marasbaras claimed that early Thursday morning they received a notice limiting their route to Campetic, Robinsons Marasbaras, and Robinsons Abucay.
This new route bypasses downtown Tacloban completely, where they would usually pick up and drop off most of their passengers.
No prior notice or public advisory was given about this rerouting which left many commuters unaware of the sudden change.
As a result, a significant number of passengers — mainly students from Leyte National High School, Eastern Visayas State University, Leyte Normal University, and Holy Infant College — were stranded at the usual pickup points.
Even by 7 p.m., crowds swelled and, still, no multicab in sight.
Passengers were left without any option but to walk home.
Outrage On SocMed
The frustration and exasperation quickly extended to and flooded social media where stranded commuters vented their grievances.
"Double fare for those living in Maharlika Highway, Apitong, Pajara, and Utap," a netizen ranted on Facebook.
The rerouting not only caused confusion but also increased cost for many passengers who had to take additional trips just to reach their destinations.
Campetic drivers who depend on the route for their livelihood are just as upset as the passengers.
They made a public appeal to Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez requesting for reconsideration and permission to return to their downtown routes.
Tyrone Camiller, one of the drivers, took to Facebook to express his dismay.
"Paano kami makaboundary sa P700 a day kung ganyan routa, walang gaano pasahero... Umaasa sa pamamasada na pangtustos sa aming pamilya".
A local vlogger, "Buhay Driver's Vlog," also shared the struggles of the Campetic drivers in a video.
He explained that the new route has significantly reduced the number of passengers, making it difficult for drivers to earn enough to provide for their families.
The vlogger urged commuters to join their fight and lodge complaints against city officials on the sudden rerouting.
Students, Workers Walk
By the morning of September 6, the effects of the rerouting were even more evident and obvious.
Early in the day, students and workers from areas like Apitong and Utap were seen walking along Ninoy Aquino Avenue, just to get to their schools and workplaces on time.
Without the usual Campetic multicabs passing through their routes, many had no choice but to walk long distances.
One bus driver operating on the Maharlika-Tacloban route shared online that he felt sorry for the students he picked up, some of whom couldn’t afford the additional transport cost.
"Makaluluoy po an mga estudyante, labi na an akon nasakyan. Di na ako nangaro pasahe kasi nakikita ko na mahirap para sa kanila," he said, explaining that he didn’t charge some passengers out of sympathy.
Politically Motivated?
The rerouting stemmed from City Ordinance No. 2024-15-19, which adopted a new Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) for Tacloban City.
The order introduced new public transportation routes, including the rerouted Campetic-Marasbaras and Campetic-Abucay routes.
The public was not clearly informed of the changes in advance and that Campetic multicabs are no longer allowed to enter downtown.
In a Facebook live interview, Mayor Alfred Romualdez explained that the rerouting was part of the efforts to reduce transport costs, especially for students.
The idea behind the new routes, according to Romualdez, was to "cut down fares," as other available trips would be shorter and more direct.
He also dismissed as "fake news" rumors circulating online that the rerouting was politically motivated ahead of the 2025 elections.
Romualdez’s clarification did not ease the frustrations of commuters and drivers.
Inconvenience, Not Benefit
Many feel that the new route adds more inconvenience than benefit as passengers are now forced to shell out more for additional trips or they walk the distance.
Many are calling for the city government to reconsider the ordinance and allow Campetic multicabs to return to their usual routes.
As of this writing, the situation remains unresolved.
Drivers continue to struggle with reduced income, while students and workers are left with limited options.
Many commuters are hoping that the city government will listen to their concerns and make adjustments to the rerouting plan. Until then, the daily commute in Tacloban City remains a frustrating experience for all involved.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonCoverStory #LPTRP #PublicTransporation #Commuters #Drivers