THE House committee on Metro Manila development is looking into the complaints of passenger utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators against the alleged unjust regulations and exorbitant fees being imposed by the new parking operator of SM City North EDSA in Quezon City.
Manila Rep. Manuel Luis Lopez, panel chair, yesterday said PUV groups wrote his panel last March to complain, asking it to look into the activities of Park Solutions Inc., the new operator of SM Parking terminals, to help them settle the dispute “whether through an appropriate resolution, measure or (even a) proposed law if needed in order to harmonize the interest of all stakeholders especially, passengers.”
Lawyer Omar Mayo, counsel for Pasang Masda, earlier told the panel that PSI is charging a P1,000 monthly accreditation fee per vehicle aside from P30 to P50 daily dispatch fee and P150 one-time fee for an RFID sticker.
Worse, Mayo said the PSI even allows new PUV operators at SM North Edsa even if “co-routing” is prohibited there. He said PUV drivers from the nearby Trinoma Mall are now being allowed to operate at SM North, which could trigger scuffle between rival associations of PUV operators and drivers.
PSI chief operating officer lawyer Peter Reig said PSI took over the operation of the SM mall parking last November 16, 2020 after the slot parking agreement entered into by PUV associations with the previous parking operator expired.
Reig said 12 of the 15 associations using the SM North EDSA parking terminal agreed with the new terms, including the dispatch fee of P30 for public utility jeepneys and P50 for UV Express, which he said is already good for one whole day to help drivers amid the economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
