Defer PUV franchise consolidation deadline by 6 months to 1 year – Pimentel
(INQUIRER file photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)
MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Tuesday appealed to the government to push back the public utility vehicle (PUV) franchise consolidation deadline by six months to one year.
In an interview over CNN Philippines’ The Source, Pimentel said the government is not ready to implement the scheme.
“Nagiging saplitan kasi may deadline na kailangan mag comply lahat. Iurong ang deadline na ‘yan [ng] anim na buwan o isang taon and then i-advertise nila ang programa nila na voluntarily ay maka attract sila ng magjojoin sa program nila,” said Pimentel.
(It subjects drivers and operators to forced compliance because there is a deadline that everyone has to comply with. Push back that deadline [by] six months or a year and then advertise the program so that they can voluntarily attract people to join it.)
Pimentel emphasized that the government “shouldn’t force people to go into debt.”
“Market forces na muna sila. Gandahan muna nila ang programa nila at tingnan nila kung sino ang ma-aattract nila na jeepney operators and then market forces kung ‘yan ang modelo na magugustuhan ng taumbayan,” he added.
(They should first consider market forces. They should improve their program first and see if they can attract jeepney operators and then see if it. is the model that the public will approve of.)
He said he intends to file a bill on PUV modernization, explaining that he and his staff is now studying the matter.
‘Goodbye to iconic PH jeepney’
In the same interview, Pimentel lamented that this modernization scheme would put a big part of the country’s culture at stake.
“Ang mangyayari nga… that [will be] our modern jeepney — hindi ba parang mini bus na ‘yan? Itong isa parang coaster na. So goodbye to the iconic Philippine jeepney if that is the plan,” said Pimentel.
(What will happen is that [will be] our modern jeepney — isn’t that like a minibus? The other one looks like a coaster. So goodbye to the iconic Philippine jeepney if that is the plan.)
“Isang angle ito na hindi napag uusapan. [This] part of Philippine image and culture and artistic creation ay mapapalitan ng isang kahon na sasakyan [at] naging bus. That’s part of our creative domain – is that the plan?,” the lawmaker pointed out.
(This is an angle that has not been discussed. This part of Philippine image and culture and artistic creation will be replaced by a box car and will become a bus. That’s part of our creative domain – is that the plan?)
