MANILA, Philippines — The Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (Acto) will hold a protest and transport holiday on Monday, its president Efren De Luna said Friday.
De Luna said they are set to gather in front of the Quezon City Memorial Circle on July 15, at 8:00 a.m. before proceeding in front of the office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) where they would hold a program.
De Luna said they are not against the modernization of jeepneys and other public utility vehicles (PUVs) but are against the specific standards set by the LTFRB, specifically the fleet management program where operators would be required to consolidate their fleet into a “legal entity” in accordance with Memorandum Circular No. 2018-008.
“Kami po ay hindi naman tumututol sa parte ng modernization ang tinututulan po namin ‘yung ilang mga pinatawag na kalakaran na nakapaloob po doon sa tinatawag na PUV (public utility vehicle) modernization (program) na imposible,” De Luna said in an interview with radio dzBB.
Some areas in Pasig, Quiapo, Montalban, Sucat, Parañaque, and Caloocan may be affected by the transport holiday, De Luna said. Acto has 475,000 members nationwide, he added.
Meanwhile, Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap) president Zeny Maranan said that although they would not join Acto’s transport strike on Monday, they support the group’s demand.
“Nakikisa ko sa sinasabi nya (De Luna), ang pagpapalit ng sasakyan ay pumapayag po kami, hindi kami kumokontra rito pero ang tinututulan lang namin ‘yung polisiya na hindi po dapat biglaan… Walang kakayahan ang ibang operator na magsama-sama (fleet management),” Maranan told dzBB.
“Wag silang magdaramdam sa amin pero hindi ho ako sasama sa sinasabing magtitigil-pasada, ang kailangan talaga makipag-ugnayan at ang kailangan dito magbukas-isip ang ating DOTr at ating LTFRB kasi ang dami pong mawawalan ng hanapbuahy,” she added.
Maranan said Fejodap has 250,000 jeepney driver and operator members.
According to Maranan, government has given them until June 2020 to modernize their jeepney fleets in consonance with the PUV modernization program which bans jeepneys and buses aged 15 years and older and requires PUVs to have Euro-4 compliant engines. /muf