TRANSPORT groups yesterday told lawmakers that some field officers of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) are still apprehending and impounding unconsolidated traditional jeepneys despite President Marcos Jr.’s order for a three-month extension in the implementation of the government’s Passenger Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program.
During the continuation of the hearing of the House Committee on Transportation on the PUV modernization program, Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) president Mody Floranda said he was with a Piston member who was accosted by LTO officers who asked for proof of his provisional authority (PA) to operate and his vehicle registration.
“So, we said, ‘Weren’t you oriented that the PA has a three-month extension?” Floranda said in Filipino, responding to Rep. Arlene Brosas (PL, Gabriela), who asked the groups to share their experiences following the President’s directive to extend the deadline to April 30.
Mar Valbuena of the Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon (Manibela) said at least 10 traditional jeepneys in his group were impounded after drivers failed to present consolidation documents to the LTO officers.
Valbueba said the LTO officers claimed that since their PAs were already “expired” as of December 31, their units are classified as “colorum” or illegally operating.
The field officers insisted on the expiry of the memorandum allowing individual operators in routes without a consolidated transport service entity (TSE) to operate despite the President’s directive.
Despite their insistence that the December 31 deadline was extended to January 31 with another three-month extension recently ordered by the President, the appeal fell on deaf ears.
“Maybe our law enforcement agencies are not being briefed correctly,” Valbueba said in the vernacular, addressing panel chair Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, who was instructed by Speaker Martin Romualdez to hold the hearings, citing reports that existing transport officials are allegedly in cahoots with previous officials in the negotiations for the importation of modern jeepney units to replace old ones.
Like LTO field officers, Valbuena said there are also officers of the PNP-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) who are disregarding the President’s order.
The PUV Modernization Program, which started in the Duterte administration, aims to replace traditional jeepneys with vehicles that have at least a Euro 4-compliant engine to help in environmental protection.
The program requires individual operators to “consolidate” or join cooperatives and corporations for easier processing of bank loans to avail of the modernized jeepneys.
The required franchise consolidation, a component in the modernization program, lapsed last December 31, 2023 but unconsolidated commuter jeepneys are still allowed to operate on selected routes until January 31.
It was revealed in the House hearing that PUV drivers need to earn at least P6,000 to as much as P7,000 daily to pay for the amortization of modernized jeepney units since each imported unit costs P1.6 million to P2.8 million.
LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza vowed to personally look into the incidents of illegal apprehensions, saying field officers had no authority to do so because of the three-month extension.
“If there have been anomalies in these apprehensions, we would sanction the proper enforcers on this if that was the reason for their apprehension,” he said.
At one point in the hearing, Rep. Bonifacio Bosita (PL, 1-Rider) warned Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Board Member lawyer Mercy Leynes that she could be cited in contempt for alleging that there has been a fare increase for modern PUVs in Western Visayas.
“Baka gusto niyong magpakulong (Maybe you want to be detained),” said Bosita, a former policeman. “Mr. Chair, baka first time natin magpakulong ng lawyers (maybe it’ll be the first time that we will be detaining lawyers).”
The LTFRB official later admitted that there was a fare hike in Western Visaya but it was for both modern and traditional jeepneys.
