INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
AFTER a group of jeepney drivers went on strike in Taguig City under a self-declared “transport holiday” yesterday, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) clarified that the mandatory phaseout of passenger jeeps over 15 years old would not yet be implemented next year.
“In the first place, we explained that there isn’t a phaseout policy yet. There’s a draft memorandum circular but it is only a working draft for consultation purposes. It has not been signed yet, it is not effective yet and there is no plan to implement it in 2016,” LTFRB Chair Winston Ginez said in a phone interview.
This was right after he held a dialogue with members of the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO) who refused to ply their routes on Monday morning, leaving scores of commuters stranded.
“We will still hold consultations on when and how [the phaseout] will be implemented. This is really premature; all the noise a while ago was much ado about nothing,” Ginez said, adding that ACTO and other transport groups would be invited to consultations on the matter.
The phaseout of public utility vehicles more than 15 years old is in line with the modernization plans of transport-related government agencies to ensure the safety and convenience of commuters.
In an earlier statement, ACTO president Efren de Luna explained that they staged the protest to prompt the LTFRB to hold talks with their group, claiming that the agency had been snubbing them.
According to him, one concern, in particular, was whether the phaseout of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) would be done in one go or gradually.
“We are not against modernization but our government has no plan or study [on] how it will be implemented,” De Luna said in an interview. He estimated that the phaseout would affect around 90 percent of passenger jeepneys nationwide since most of the 60,000 PUJs were “surplus” units dating back to the year 2000 or earlier.
Ginez, meanwhile, said they were investigating the transport holiday to see if there were drivers and operators who went on actual strike—a violation that could merit the suspension or cancellation of their franchise.
As early as 5 a.m. yesterday, more than 30 jeepney drivers, operators and other members of ACTO gathered near the FTI complex on East Service Road in Western Bicutan, carrying banners calling for Ginez’s resignation.
They also blocked some Pasay City-bound jeepneys whose drivers were about to ply their routes, forcing passengers to walk to the South Superhighway where they waited for buses.