The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has stood firm on its stand to proceed with the modernization plan for public utility vehicles (PUVs).
Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade said on Sunday that he would not be threatened to pull out the program by the impending transport strikes.
Transport drivers and operators have called on the attention of the government to the negative effects of the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.
“Mag rally sila kung gusto nila. Sunugin nila effigy ko kung gusto nila (They can hold a protest rally if they want. They can burn my effigy). But I will insist on the PUV Modernization program,” Tugade said in a statement.
Tugade said he is for giving livelihood opportunities to drivers but he wouldn’t want them to inconvenience the riding public or cause deaths.
READ: Modernization drive: Gov’t starts crackdown on dilapidated PUVs
“We cannot delay nor deny the public of their right to convenient, affordable and roadworthy mass transport,” Tugade said, adding that President Rodrigo Duterte has promised that to the public so it is his duty to take vehicles that are no longer road worthy out of the streets.
The Senate loop route of the modern PUVs is set to launch at the Senate grounds on Monday, June 18. /ee
Read: Gov’t assures drivers modernization program will help them