Wednesday, October 1, 2025

SC asked: Stop PUV modernization program

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THE Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) yesterday brought its fight against the controversial public utility vehicle modernization program from the streets to the legal arena, asking the Supreme Court to suspend its implementation and void government issuances related to the program.

The transport group filed a petition for certiorari and injunction after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) recently issued a memorandum revoking the permits of unconsolidated PUV operators by January 1, 2024.

No less than President Marcos Jr. has said there will be no extension of the December 31, 2023 deadline for PUV operators to consolidate.

PISTON and the Malayang Alyansa ng Bus Employees at Laborers (Manibela) have pushed through with their two-week-long transport strike until the end of this month to show their opposition to the PUV modernization plan.

Joining PISTON in filing the 56-page petition were Bayan Muna Partylist coordinator Gaylord Despuez, PARA-Advocates for Inclusive Transport member Edrich Samonte, No to PUV Phaseout Coalition of Panay member Elmer Forro, and KomYut spokesperson Ma. Flora Cerna.

The petitioners asked the High Court to issue a temporary restraining order to stop the implementation of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Order No. 207-011 (Omnibus Guidelines on the Planning and Identification of Public Road Transportation Services and Franchise Issuance; Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Memorandum Circular 2018-008 (Consolidation of Franchise Holders in Compliance with DO No. 207-11);

LTFRB Memorandum Circular 2020-084 (Extension of Time to File Application for Consolidation Pursuant to Industry Consolidation of PUVMP); LTFRB Memorandum Circular 2021-021 (Guidelines for the Issuance of Provisional Authority to Units of Individual Operators with Pending Application for Consolidation and those that Failed to File an Application for Consolidation under DO No. 207-11; And LTFRB Memorandum Circular 2023-047 (Guidelines for the Acceptance of Application for Consolidations); and LTFB Memorandum Circular 2023-051 (Allowing Operations of Consolidated Transport Services Entities in All Routes with Filed Applications for Consolidation on or before December 31, 2023).

The issuances laid down the rules for the mandatory consolidation of individual PUV operators under transport cooperatives and corporations and the issuance of new franchises in favor of such entities as part of the modernization program being pushed by the LTFRB and the DOTr.

“The petitioners come before this Honorable Court seeking provisional relief to enjoin the respondents from enforcing the assailed DOTr and LTFRB issuances pendente lite, and after a proper proceeding, a judgment declaring the said administrative issuances null and void for being unconstitutional,” they said.

The petitioners argued the issuances are overly broad and infringe on their constitutional freedom of association as they force the drivers and operators to join an organization or cooperative.

The High Court, they added, has repeatedly said the right to join an association carries with it the right not to join.

“Through the issuance of MC NO. 2023-051, the individual operators are being penalized for not joining an association. They are essentially left with no choice but to consolidate if they wish to keep their livelihood. This is a gross and patent violation of the individual operators’ freedom of association as guaranteed by the Constitution,” the petition read.

“In this case, the revocation of the individual operators’ provisional authorities for failure to consolidate into juridical entities thereby prohibiting them from being registered as a public utility vehicle are confiscatory and oppressive of their property rights,” it added.

They also said the issuances are “oppressive, overreaching and confiscatory” considering the damage it will bring to the livelihood of ordinary PUV operators and drivers.

They cited 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.

“This will translate to high amortization payments and compounded interests, thus imposing an enormous financial burden on PUV operators,” they said, adding the P160,000 subsidy offered by the government is too small for the total cost of the modern jeepney.

“The high costs of the modern jeepneys will then correlate to the increase in the fare that will have to be spent by the commuting public,” they added.

The petitioners also challenged the data presented by the DOTr showing 70 percent compliance with the consolidation, adding the figure represents all operators of different PUVs nationwide, not of jeepneys alone.

They said the data they compiled showed that only 26 percent of jeepney operators in the National Capital Region have consolidated and 36 percent for PUV express vehicles.

Amid the continued opposition of drivers to the government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has assured them that appropriate assistance is ready for those set to be displaced.

In an interview, Labor Undersecretary Benjo Benavidez said the DOLE has existing programs that can be made available to PUV drivers and conductors who would be displaced by the new public transportation policy.

“This modernization program is no longer new. We have long prepared for this. Therefore, for those that will be affected, DOLE is ready to assist them,” said Benavidez.

“We are inviting all those that will be displaced to come to us and the government is ready to help you,” he added.

This, he said, includes employment, livelihood, and upskilling training assistance.

“We have safety nets prepared for those that will be displaced,” said Benavidez.

He also assured the government has a budget of P450 million for those who will need assistance. — With Gerard Naval

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