Reiterate plea vs modernization program
TRANSPORT group PISTON and allied organizations yesterday made a last-ditch call to the Supreme Court to act on their petition seeking the issuance of a temporary restraining order against the government’s program to modernize and consolidate public utility vehicles in the country.
While holding the first of a planned three-day transport strike, the groups filed a supplemental petition for a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction on the eve of the April 30 deadline for the franchise consolidation of jeepneys and UV Express units.
President Marcos Jr. had said there would be no extension of the April 30 deadline for PUV operators and drivers to consolidate into cooperatives or corporations as part of the modernization program.
The PNP, meanwhile, said the first day of the transport strike was “relatively peaceful” but noted the harassment of drivers who refused to take part in the protest.
“So far, it’s relatively peaceful based on our monitoring,” PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo told a press briefing at Camp Crame at around 1 p.m. yesterday.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chief Romando Artes had earlier said the recently-created Joint Task Force composed of the agency, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Transportation will conduct “anti-colorum” operations against jeepney operators and drivers who fail to consolidate after the April 30 deadline.
In its 17-page urgent motion, PISTON (Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Nationwide), through its chairperson, Modesto Floranda, reiterated its previous arguments against the PUV modernization program.
Last December, PISTON and other allied groups filed a petition asking the magistrates to declare as null and void several issuances of the Department of Transportation regarding the consolidation and to issue an injunction to prevent the agency and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board from enforcing the issuances.
The transport groups sought the temporary injunction citing, among others, the adverse impact on the income and livelihood of PUV operators, drivers and their families and commuters nationwide.
They also argued the government’s move is “oppressive, overreaching and confiscatory” considering the damage it would bring to the livelihood of ordinary PUV operators and drivers as well as the prohibitive cost of the modern jeepney that will replace the traditional one from P1.4 to P1.7 million to P2.5 to P2.6 million.
They added the government subsidy of P160,000 or 5.7 percent of the total cost of the modern e-jeepney is paltry.
They said the move of the LTFRB to extend the consolidation deadline several times for the past seven years was a telling reminder the government is not ready to address the many “missing elements” of the PUVMP such as the “route rationalization plan and local public transport route plan.”
“The requirement of consolidation is untenable at this point, and fundamentally, unlawful. This is why there is continuing resistance from among the stakeholders, and particularly, jeepney drivers to forced franchise consolidation,” they said.
They also reiterated that the forced consolidation violates the Constitutional protection of their right to gainful employment and livelihood, since they said, failure on their part to consolidate will mean that the individual operators’ provisional authorities to operate will be revoked, prohibiting them from being registered and operate as public utility vehicles.
The petitioners said if the government pushes through with the plan, thousands of the commuting public would be affected by the reduction in the number of PUVs plying the streets.
DRIVERS HARASSED
Fajardo said the PNP received reports of drivers who were blocked and harassed by fellow drivers for not taking part in the transport strike.
“We are also validating reports that nails were scattered along the route of vehicles (that did not participate),” said Fajardo.
Fajardo urged the drivers and operators who joined the transport strike to respect the stand of those who chose not to be involved in the transport holiday.
“We gave you the opportunity to air your sentiments. They should also respect the rights of other drivers who continued to ply their route,” said Fajardo.
She said those involved in the harassment may face charges of grave coercion, threats and even damage to property.
“We are documenting these incidents now and if the (aggrieved) drivers would give their statements, we are going to use these for the filing of charges against those who we identified as involved in the harassment,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said the PNP deployed some 51,402 personnel throughout the country to ensure peace and order during the strike.
She said the PNP also mobilized 1,780 assets to provide free rides to commuters affected.
Fajardo said 2,642 patrol vehicles were also dispatched “for security and public safety services.”
DOTR STATEMENT
Over 100,000 traditional jeepneys nationwide are expected to continue plying the road in the next two to three years after the April 30 deadline for consolidation, according to the DOTr.
DOTr Undersecretary Jesus Ferdinand Ortega, in a television interview, said PUV operators who failed to consolidate will be given two weeks up to one month to explain their move.
“On the part of DOTr and LTFRB after the deadline, we will still give them due process, it will take two weeks or one month,” Ortega said, adding the government may revoke their franchises.
Ortega said PUV drivers and operators who joined the consolidation will be given two to three years to transition into modern jeepneys
“It will not happen soon. It will take three years to happen. It will start next year or two years from now,” Ortega said, adding some of the traditional jeepneys are still road-worthy.
“There are around 100,000 traditional (jeepneys) which we will see on the road in years,” he said.
As of April 1, 2024, LTFRB data showed the PUV consolidation rate nationwide stood at 77.7 percent.
The National Capital Region had the lowest consolidation rate at 52.5 percent, followed by Region 11 (56.7%), and Region 3 (79.4%). The Central Region, Region 4B, and Region 12 had a 100 percent consolidation rate.
TELL-TALE SIGNS
Sen. Grace Poe said the repeated jeepney strikes are tell-tale signs that there are still unsettled issues that have remained unresolved in the transport sector amid the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.
“The repeated jeepney strikes are symptomatic of a still unsettled issue in the transport sector. Valid questions have been raised about the jeepney modernization program that has remained unresolved, like the price of the vehicle, source of funding, and routes,” Poe said in a statement.
She said jeepney drivers actually want to have modern jeepneys which roughly cost more than P1 million, but fear how they would pay for them considering their meager income.
Poe reiterated her call for the government to listen to the concerns of the drivers and come up with win-win solutions.
“It’s not too late for transportation officials to listen to the woes of small drivers and operators,” she said.
Poe warned of a shortage of public utility jeepneys if the cooperatives could not buy enough vehicles for their members.
“Will all routes be serviced by the modern jeepneys? It is not easy to hold strikes. Drivers are at risk of being charged in court, they will have no income for the day, and worst, commuters are affected,” she said. — With Victor Reyes, Myla Iglesias, and Raymond Africa
