LTFRB to postpone total PUV phase out, says Poe

Senator Grace Poe said on Monday that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will postpone the implementation of the total phaseout of public utility vehicles (PUV) scheduled in March 2019.

Poe said that the postponement of the total PUV phaseout is the decision of LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra.

“‘Yun ang sinabi ni Chairman Delgra ngayon, na talagang hindi pa handa ang gobyerno na i-phaseout ‘yan. So in principle, sinabi na niya na hindi puwede o hindi pa dapat maging total phaseout pagdating ng Marso,” Poe told reporters after conducting a Senate hearing on the issue of the government’s PUV modernization plan.

(That’s what Delgra said today. The government is not ready for the phaseout. So in principle, he said they cannot implement a total phaseout in March.)

The senator chairs the Senate committee on public works which is looking into the government’s PUV modernization program.

READ: Solons ask: Where are we on the PUV modernization program?

Poe believes that the government is not yet ready to implement a total phaseout of public utility vehicles  in March next year as the requirements for drivers and operators have yet to be made clear to the public.

“Ang malinaw, ang gobyerno ay hindi pa handa na i-phaseout ang lahat ng mga public utility vehicles na non-compliant doon sa modernization requirement nila dahil hindi nga malinaw kung ano ang mga requirements nila,” Poe told reporters.

(What is clear is that the government is not yet ready to phase out all public utility vehicles that are non-compliant with the modernization program requirements. The requirements are also not clear to the public.)

“Hindi pa nga malinaw kung papaano makaka-utang ng pera iyong mga drayber para makakuha ng bagong sasakyan. Hindi rin malinaw kung ano ba talaga ang magiging requirement para doon sa sasakyan nila,” Poe added.

(It’s not clear how drivers can avail loans for the purchase of new vehicles and the rules are not also clear for the use of the new vehicles.)

The senator also expressed dismay that the government has been allegedly favoring big companies and corporations in the transport modernization program.

“Ang nangyayari, ang nabibigyan ng mga unang prangkisa ay ‘yung mga malalaking negosyante at korporasyon, walang masama do’n pero bigyan din ninyo ng pagkakataon lalung-lalo na ang mga maliliit, sila ‘yung nawawalan ng prangkisa, sila ‘yung nawawalan ng trabaho,” Poe said.

(What happened was that the big businessmen and corporations were given the first franchises. There’s nothing wrong with that but please give opportunity also to the small drivers and businesses. They stand to lose the franchise and their jobs.) /ee

Roque: PUV modernization program ‘not anti-poor’