TWENTY-TWO senators filed a resolution last Tuesday calling for the temporary suspension or deferred implementation of the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP) until concerns and issues raised over the program have been properly addressed.
In filing Senate Resolution No. 1096, the senators said Malacanang should order a temporary halt to the PTMP, saying it is “unplanned and rushed” since the various concerns of drivers, operators, unions, and transport cooperatives were not resolved when it was implemented.
“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 resolution read.
During the July 23 hearing of the Committee on Public Services chaired by Sen. Raffy Tulfo, Senate President Francis Escudero asked the panel to come up with a resolution urging President Marcos Jr. to temporarily suspend the PTMP since several stakeholders have not been consulted before its implementation.
Escudero said among the concerns raised by the drivers and transport cooperatives was the prohibitive cost of the modern jeepneys.
Escudero also said the design of the modern jeepneys phased out the iconic traditional jeepneys known worldwide as a symbol of Filipinos.
Drivers and transport cooperatives have also complained that most of them have not yet consolidated and were effectively forced out of their livelihoods.
The senators said the Department of Transportation needed to make clarifications to resolve the issues.
“As of April 30, 2024 which was the latest deadline set by the Department of Transportation for the consolidation of public utility vehicles, 36,217 units of approximately 19 percent of the jeepneys and other PUVs have not yet consolidated. This high figure of unconsolidated units is primarily due to a) the insufficiency of information drive on the part of the government to educate drivers, operators, and transport groups about the PTMP; and b) the burden of financing the cost of modern PUVs which greatly exceeds the financial capacity of drivers and operators,” the senators said.
They said the number of unconsolidated drivers and operators is expected to increase since some of them filed petitions to have their membership revoked or canceled due to apparent mismanagement of their transport cooperatives.
The senators said that as of April 30, only 174 or 11.05 percent of 1,574 local government units have approved the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP).
“While the intent of the PTMP is laudable, 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,” the senators said.
Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros was the only one who did not sign the resolution. Her office said Hontiveros has yet to respond to media queries on why she did not sign the resolution.
