22 senators seek suspension of PUV modernization program

(Philippine Daily Inquirer file photo/ Richard A. Reyes)

MANILA,  Philippines— Twenty-two senators have filed a resolution pushing for the temporary suspension of the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), pending the resolution of valid and urgent concerns raised by the affected sector.

Only Sen. Risa Hontiveros did not sign  Senate Resolution  No. 1096, which was filed on Monday.

Those who signed the resolution were Senate President Francis Escudero, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, and Sen.  Raffy Tulfo,  chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services.

The other senators who signed were Nancy Binay, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Ronald dela Rosa, Loren Legarda,  JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Christopher “Bong” Go,  Lito Lapid, Imee Marcos, Robinhood Padilla, Grace Poe, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.,  Joel Villanueva, Cynthia Villar, Mark Villar, and  Juan Miguel Zubiri.

“While the PTMP is integral to the traffic management solution, there is an urgent need to thoroughly review and reassess the impact of the program, to alleviate the fears of the drivers and transport operators who will be directly burdened by its implementation,” the senators said in the resolution.

Despite the April 30, 2024 deadline set by the Department of  Transportation (DOTr) for the consolidation of public utility vehicles (PUVs), the resolution pointed out that 36,217 units, or approximately 19% of the jeepneys and other PUVs, have not yet been consolidated.

The measure cited two primary  reasons for the “high figure of unconsolidated” PUVs:

• Insufficiency of information drive on the part of the government to educate the drivers, operators and transport groups about the PTMP, formerly known as the  Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program or PUVMP
• The burden of financing the cost of modern PUVs, which greatly exceeds the financial capacity of drivers and operators

“Those who did not participate in the consolidation are now considered as colorum or operating illegally and run the risk of being fined and their vehicles impounded should the drivers continue to ply their routes,” the senators said in the resolution.

Meanwhile, the resolution noted that only 174, or 11.05%, of the 1,574 local government units (LGUs) had approved the Local Public Transport Route Planning (LPTRP).

Unlike the deadline for  PUV consolidation, however, the LGUs and the DOTr have until now to comply with the complete  LPTRPs.

“Another alarming concern raised is the potential phaseout of the iconic jeepney design in favor of the so-called modern jeepneys, which are merely mini-buses imported from other countries,” the resolution said.

Although the intent of the PTMP is “laudable,”  the senators said, “continuing with the program without threshing out these concerns, would go against the Constitutional directive of promoting social justice in all phases of national development.”

“More consideration and clarifications are needed to be made by the DOTr in order to address the concerns voiced by affected stakeholders, especially the drivers,”  they added.