Senators: Use 3-month extension on PUV modernization to review program

At least three senators said Thursday that the three-month extension on the deadline to put up transportation cooperatives in line with the PUV Modernization Program should be used to review it and assess the welfare of the drivers and operators.

“Pulling the brakes on the PUV modernization program is a far-reaching initiative when the welfare of our commuting public and the livelihood of thousands of drivers are at stake. The three-month extension can be best utilized by conducting a thorough review of the program to see its gains and better understand the defiance of some groups to it,” said Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate public services committee.

Poe specifically mentioned the high cost of the new vehicles which “has proven to be a big stumbling block to the rollout of modernization and should not be ignored.”

“Reports of idle units and missed amortization payments by some consolidated groups must be looked into to see the viability of the program. Transport officials should also be open to low cost alternatives such as rehabilitation of jeepneys that are roadworthy to make them environmentally-compliant,” she said.

“Modernization is not just about consolidation and throwing to the junkyard our iconic jeepneys. It should be about rejuvenating our transportation landscape to make it safer and more reliable to our commuters, and at the same time sustainable to our drivers and operators,” she added.

Senator Imee Marcos shared the same sentiment, saying the extension is a “good step in the right direction.”

“This additional time should be used not only to allow jeepney drivers to consolidate. This period should be used to come up with a better solution to allow our jeepney drivers and owners to continue with their livelihood,” Marcos said.

“Instead of the proposed phase-out, we need a comprehensive strategy that prioritizes the needs of all Filipinos,” she added.

She suggested the following strategies to be considered in the PUV Modernization Program:

• Modernizing existing jeepneys: Retrofitting with cleaner engines, promoting cleaner fuels, and improving safety standards.
• Investing in infrastructure: Expanding and improving roads, bridges, and mass transit systems to address congestion and create a well-connected network.
• Developing sustainable alternatives: Encouraging electric and hybrid vehicles, promoting carpooling and cycling, using renewable fuels, and exploring micro-mobility options.

Meanwhile, Senator JV Ejercito, who has been advocating for better transportation system in the Philippines, said the three-month extension “gives more time for those who want to partner with the government to solve worsening transportation problems and offer reliable services to Filipino commuters.”

On Wednesday, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. approved Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista’s recommendation to extend the deadline to join or put up transportation cooperatives or corporations until April 30,2024.

No more extension

Earlier in the day, Bautista said the Department of Transportation will no longer recommend an extension of the application for consolidation of individual PUV operators to form transportation cooperatives or corporations once the new deadline expires.

After the extended deadline expires, Bautista expects the consolidation rate to increase to 85%.

The PUV Modernization Program aims to replace traditional jeepneys with vehicles that have at least a Euro 4-compliant engine to lessen pollution and replace units that were not deemed roadworthy under the standards of the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

The consolidation of individual PUV franchises into cooperatives or corporations is the initial stage of the modernization program. This aims to pass the burden of acquiring modernized units from operators to the transport entity.

Several transport groups have launched a series of protest marches against the program, saying they have lost their jeepney units after their vehicle registrations were transferred to transport cooperatives.

Transport groups have filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking to stop the implementation of the PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP). They are asking the high tribunal to nullify relevant issuances of the LTFRB and the DOTr, and to issue a temporary restraining order to prevent the government from enforcing the policies. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News