MANILA, Philippines – Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Thursday chided the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for its target-setting in terms of the number of modernized jeepney units needed under the government’s modernization plan.
During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance on the DOTr’s budget for 2020, Drilon asked DOTr officials on the number of jeepney units needed to replace old ones to satisfy the requirements of commuters.
Transportation Undersecretary Mark Richmund De Leon then said there are 170,000 PUJs in the record of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board and that “around half” of the said figure is need to replace the old public utility jeepneys.
“Wala ba sa plano niyo how many units will be operational by 20 whatever [year] it is (Do you not have a plan on how many units should be operational by 20 whatever [year] it is? Of course you should have that,” said Drilon.
“We have targets, Mr. Chair,” De Leon replied.
Drilon then asked if De Leon meant the DOTr is eyeing 85,000 modern PUJs, which is half the figure he earlier mentioned, to which De Leon answered: “If we will complete the modernization by the next three years.”
“Your response is obvious that you don’t have a specific target and work towards achieving the target,” said Drilon.
“If I were you, why don’t you have targets, work towards the achievement of that target because it’s not as if you will achieve this by tomorrow.”
He added the Senate “supports in general” the modernization program but said that he is “not very encouraged” with the answers of DOTr officials during the hearing.
“Just setting targets is not even there. If you set a target at least alam mo na you work on this (you know that you will work on this),” he said.
De Leon said the DOTr will submit a revised and more detailed target on the PUV modernization plan before the Senate panel. /gsg