Senator bats for indefinite deferral of jeepney consolidation deadline 

JUST, HUMANE PUV MODERNIZATION: Sen. Grace Poe calls for measures to address the concerns of public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers as the government goes full steam ahead with its modernization program. Senate PRIB photo

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe has sought to indefinitely postpone the deadline for traditional jeepneys to consolidate as she urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to iron out its public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization plan.

Poe, who presided over the Senate committees on basic services and finance hearing on Thursday, called on the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to implement the seventh deadline extension in the validity of the provisional authorities or franchises of traditional jeepneys.

READ: Senate panel kickstarts hearing to defer traditional jeepney phaseout

“Ayusin niyo muna mga problema niyo, iyong coordination with the local government units at lahat iyan, bago kayo magbigay ng deadline. Para sa akin, dapat open-ended. Huwag muna ninyong bigyan ng deadline,” she said.

(Fix your problems first by coordinating with the local government units before you set a deadline. For me, it should be open-ended. Don’t pin down a deadline.)

According to Poe, the LTFRB move to defer the deadline for jeepney consolidation from June 30 to Dec. 31 was only meant to save the image of transport officials.

READ: As strike looms, gov’t moves jeepney franchise deadline

The senator asserted that the LTFRB is not prepared to roll out the modernization program by December when it has not secured the compliance of even 10 percent of jeepney drivers and operators.

“At the end of this hearing, talagang hihingin ko na i-extend niyong nang mas matagal or indefinitely. Kasi ang dami niyong problema talaga,” Poe added.

(At the end of this hearing, I will request another deadline or an indefinite postponement because you really have a lot of problems.)

Unified Transport Federation of Makati President Bong Duka also joined the call not to set a deadline on the jeepney consolidation until all details for the modernization plan are straightened out.

“Kami ay willing sumunod sa anumang programa ng gobyerno–modernization. Ang sa amin ay iyong consolidation, huwag munang tuldukan habang ito’y hindi pa napag-aaralan nang mabuti,” he pressed.

(We are willing to comply with whatever government program–modernization. But don’t end the consolidation until you haven’t further studied this.)

DOTr: Deadline needed

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, however, expressed the belief that a deadline is needed for the consolidation of jeepneys.

“Hindi pwedeng maging open-ended ito. Kasi kung hindi tayo magbibigay ng deadline, walang susunod. Hindi natin mai-implement itong ating PUV modernization program if we don’t impose deadlines,” he said.

(This cannot be open-ended. Because if we don’t set a deadline, no one will follow. We cannot implement the PUV modernization program if we don’t impose deadlines.)

Bautista also bared reaching out to transport group Manibela President Mar Valbuena, who was among the organizers of the looming weeklong transport strike in protest of the modernization scheme.

But Valbuena did not heed his call for a dialogue, he added.

READ: Jeepney groups shun talks; strike plan gains backers

Final attempt

Desperate for another extension, Danilo Ignacio of Bulacan Transport asked the LTFRB to move the jeepney consolidation deadline to April 21, 2024.

“Nakikiusap kami. Tiklop tuhod kaming nakikiusap. Para medyo kumita naman kami, tutal kung ma-phase out iyong jeep namin, kahit papaano, nakabawi kami ng kaunti,” he said.

(We are begging you. We are kneeling to beg for this. So we can earn. That way, when our jeep gets phased out, we at least earned a bit.)

LTFRB chairman Teofilo Guadiz III said, in response, that his office is open to a dialogue with transport groups on the appeal for another deadline extension.

But Valbuena pointed out that whatever movement in the deadline will still result in a jeepney phaseout in the long run.

Falling short of implementation

Earlier in the hearing, LTFRB board member Riza Paches said about 63.5 percent of the industry has already consolidated, but she said this does not mean they have been modernized.

“All of these are formed into juridical entities. [They] are now transitioning to a more formal organization from individual operators,” Paches said.

She further noted that only 6,814 modern jeepneys are currently operating out of at least 150,000 public utility jeepneys in the country. This, according to Paches, is based on the number of jeepneys that actively renew their franchise with the LTFRB.

Only 985 out of the 1,575 local government units have submitted their local public transport route plan. Of this figure, 648 are for revision, 198 are under evaluation and 139 are approved.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier said that while the modernization plan is a must, its implementation still needs further study and improvement.

He had also appealed to transport groups to do away with their planned weeklong strike to protest the impending phaseout of traditional PUV units under the modernization scheme.

READ: Marcos Jr. asks transport groups to rethink planned week-long strike

Manibela remained firm in its plan to stage the strike from March 6 to March 12. With reports from MJ Soriani, INQUIRER.net trainee

READ: Week-long transport strike on March 6 will continue, says Manibela

JPV/abc