Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III during the deliberation on the proposed 2024 budget of the Commission on Audit on Monday, November 20, 2023. Senate PRIB photo / Bibo Nueva España
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should just let Congress decide on the controversial modernization program for public utility vehicles (PUVs), Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said on Sunday as the New Year’s Eve deadline for PUV drivers and operators to consolidate their units lapsed.
“There is something terribly wrong with the program, both in the macro level, which covers its basic objectives, and the micro level, which involves the program’s details,” Pimentel told radio dzBB’s “Bantay Balita sa Kongreso.”
“As policymakers, it’s time for us to step on the brake pedal. Let’s go slow because the people who will be most affected by this have been voicing out their objections,” he pointed out.
The opposition senator issued the remarks as Malacañang and the Supreme Court both failed to act on the pleas of various transport groups, particularly jeepney drivers and operators, to postpone the Dec. 31 deadline.
On Dec. 12, Marcos announced that the last day for PUV owners to join cooperatives or corporations “will not be moved,” prompting jeepney groups to hold transport strikes.
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Cost constraints
Pimentel deplored the government’s decision to disregard the concerns raised by PUV organizations, whose members had been complaining about the high cost of acquiring the so-called modernized jeepneys.
Drivers and operators had previously said that they would be forced to borrow more than P2 million to buy a Euro 4-compliant vehicle to replace their traditional jeepneys as ordered by the government.
“Imagine a (jeepney) driver who has no outstanding debts and is just earning enough to support his family will now have to borrow money. They will definitely resist that,” Pimentel noted.
Instead of implementing the program through an executive order, he said Marcos should allow lawmakers to deliberate on the matter through the legislative process.
‘Voice of the people’
He pointed out that Sen. Grace Poe, who chairs the Senate public services committee, had already filed a measure to modernize the country’s public transportation system.
Such a process, he argued, would be more palatable to the affected sectors since there would be public consultations and the decision would be made by a legislative body.
“While the President is elected nationwide, he is just one person,” Pimentel stressed, adding that “if we come up with a law, we will have the participation of (more than 300) House members and 24 senators. The voice of Congress is really the (voice) of the people.”
He said the failure of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to fund and efficiently implement the program was among the reasons why he voted against the P5.768-trillion national budget for 2024.
The DOTr allotted a measly P1.6 billion for the PUV modernization plan next year, he lamented.
“Let’s listen to our countrymen because [their decision to join transport strikes] is already a sign of desperation,” Pimentel said.
“There should be a review of the whole program first before they overhaul the present rules. Besides, I was told that there are quality and roadworthiness issues regarding these ‘modernized jeepneys,’ which are actually mini-buses,” he said.