MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has urged the Marcos administration to suspend the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization indefinitely.
Pimentel’s suggestion came a day after he said the government should defer the PUV franchise consolidation by six months to one year.
“Kung pwede ngang i-suspend nila indefinitely, [the] better. Pag-aralan nila ito. Programa ito ng Duterte administration [tapos] itutuloy ng Marcos administration, are they sure? Naaral na ba nila itong mabuti because they will be the ones to blame na dito,” Pimentel said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
(If they can suspend it indefinitely, [the] better. They need to study it. This is a program of the Duterte administration, and the Marcos administration will continue it; are they sure about that? Have they studied this well because they will be the ones to blame here.)
According to the minority leader, the government needs to “step on the breaks” and defer its deadlines.
“First, they defer their deadlines [by] six months to one year. That is, of course, at any time during the suspension, they can decide to extend the suspension to study the program,” said Pimentel, partly in Filipino.
Later in the briefing, Pimentel reiterated his call to suspend the PUV modernization indefinitely.
“Pwede naman nilang sabihin na we will resume after a certain number of months kung naayos na nila ang lahat ng detalye,” he explained.
(They can say that they will resume after a certain number of months if they have fixed all the details of the program.)
When asked what would be the effect if the government pushes through with the program despite protests from the affected groups, Pimentel warned that there would be no peace and harmony in the country’s transport sector.
“Kailangan kasi may cooperation iyan. Kung may tinatawag na industrial peace, dapat meron ding peace and harmony sa transport sector, hindi lang para sa riding public kung hindi para rin sa operators and drivers. Kung hindi na worth it sa kanila, because yung effort nila hindi naman sufficient sa ikabubuhay ng pamilya nila, aalis sila sa sector na yan.
“Therefore, kakaunti ang supply ng vehicles, lumalaki ang population, nagiging mobile tayo we need to move around for our work, for our schooling and our recreation. Baka nga magkaroon ng shortage at mahirapan ang riding public,” he said.
(This requires cooperation. As there is something called industrial peace, there should also be peace and harmony in the transport sector, not just for the riding public but also for the operators and drivers. If it is no longer worth it to them and their effort is not sufficient for their family’s livelihood, they will leave that sector.)
(Therefore, the supply of vehicles is scarce, the population is growing, and we are becoming mobile and need to move around for our work, our schooling, and our recreation. Maybe there will be a shortage and it will be difficult for the riding public.)
PUV Modernization to drive higher fares
Apart from losing the country’s iconic jeepneys, Pimentel said the PUV modernization would also affect transportation fares.
“Definitely, may effect ito sa transport fares because ‘yung gastos kasi to maintain the new system being proposed would be greater. Although jeepneys are iconic and already part of our culture, they will be phased out in favor of the modern mode of transportation which looks like a mini bus,” the opposition lawmaker pointed out.
(Definitely, this affects transport fares because the cost to maintain the new system being proposed would be greater. Although jeepneys are iconic and already part of our culture, they will be phased out in favor of the modern mode of transportation which looks like a mini bus.)
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