Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista yesterday appealed to transport groups that intend to stage a weeklong transport strike starting March 6 to have a dialogue with the government to iron out issues concerning the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program.
Traditional jeepney and UV Express operators said on Monday they will hold the strike, after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) issued guidelines last week which set the deadline for PUVs to consolidate until June 30.
Bautista said the Department of Transportation and LTFRB on one hand and the transport organizations on the other should at least hold a dialogue to thoroughly examine each other’s positions on the PUV Modernization Program.
“I have already instructed the undersecretary for Road Sector to coordinate with the LTFRB and with the operators,” Bautista said.
Bautista clarified the DOTr is giving ample time to transport groups to muster enough funds to buy new units for their operations in line with the government’s PUV Modernization Program.
Bautista said there old PUV units will not be phased out in areas where groups could not acquire new units for their designated routes.
“In those areas where we know it is really difficult to get new equipment right away, we will give the operators the opportunity to join the cooperatives to consolidate to help them get new equipment,” he said in Filipino.
Meanwhile, The DOTr, he added, has been working closely with the Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank of the Philippines to help transport groups and cooperatives to finance the acquisition of modernized transport units.
LTFRB said it is targeting to modernize the 158,000 traditional public utility jeepneys.
Of the total traditional jeepneys, 61 percent have modernized or upgraded their fleet in compliance with the modernization program, said Joel Bolano, head of LTFRB Central Office Technical Division, but the remaining 40 percent are set to be modernized until the extension period.
