AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee on Monday filed a resolution urging the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Landbank of the Philippines (Land Bank) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to streamline requirements and simplify the process with regards to the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
“As an attached agency of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the LTFRB is mandated to implement the PUV modernization program and must simplify the requirements being asked from applicant franchise owners, transport cooperatives and corporations,” Lee said in House Resolution No. 1474, which he filed on the first day of the transport strike.
Lee lamented that the majority of jeepney drivers and operators do not have the capital to buy the modern jeepneys, which is why they need easier access to loans.”
“Landbank and DBP should also comprehensively review its existing policies and expeditiously streamline its processes, especially if interested PUV drivers and operators have cleared requirements with the LTFRB and the Land Transportation Office (LTO),” he added.
Landbank and the DBP each have a special loan program which provides access to operators and drivers to adequate funding for the PUVMP: the SPEED PUV Loan Program for Land Bank and the Program Assistance to Support Alternative Driving Approaches (PASADA Financing Program) for DBP.
“Sa pamamagitan ng panukala nating ito, gusto nating mapabilis ang proseso, bawasan o iklian ang mga requirements para lahat ay mahikayat at makasunod sa implementasyon ng PUV modernization,” explained Lee.
“Dahil kapag naayos natin ang ating public transport system, siguradong Winner Tayo Lahat.”
The Bicolano lawmaker pointed out that “ngayong araw nga po ang simula ng nationwide transport strike patungkol po sa nalalapit na deadline para sa consolidation.”
“Marami po sa ating mga PUV drivers at operators ang nangangamba na mawalan ng kabuhayan sa usaping ito. At nauunawaan po natin ito dahil sabi ko nga, ang ating transport sector ay hindi lang isang public service, higit sa lahat, ito po ay kabuhayan ng napakarami nating kababayan,” said Lee.
According to Lee, “ito na po ang kabuhayan nila simula’t sapul pa—dito nila naitataguyod ang pamilya, dito sila nakapagpapaaral o nakapagpatapos ng mga anak, dito nila natutustusan ang kanilang mga pangangailangan.”
Lee lamented that the majority of jeepney drivers and operators do not have the capital to buy the modern jeepneys, which is why they need easier access to loans.”
“Alam naman natin na karamihan, kung hindi man lahat, ng ating jeepney drivers at operators ay walang kakayahang maglabas ng milyon-milyon para sa pagbili ng modern jeepney,” said Lee.
“Kung sa umpisa pa lang ay napaka-haba na o kilo-kilometro, at kumplikado na ang kailangan nilang asikasuhing requirements, halimbawa, para makapag-loan, talagang mahihirapan silang makasunod. Tulungan natin sila, huwag natin silang pahirapan.”
“Daig pa ang sasakyang na-traffic sa EDSA rush hour itong jeepney modernization program natin kasi hindi na talaga ito umusad dahil sa dami ng requirements at hirap ng prosesong kailangang daanan,” said the former businessman.
“It is in the best interest of our nation, especially the riding public, to simplify all the requirements and existing processes of LTFRB, Land Bank and DBP, including but not limited to, fleet modernization, loan and financing, and industry consolidation, among others, in order to achieve the objectives of the PUVMP,” Lee said.
“With strong emphasis on finding areas for improvement and cutting out pointless processes and unnecessary requirements, Land Bank and DBP are strongly urged to work with pertinent government agencies, trade associations, and stakeholders to gather inputs and feedback on its loan application procedures,” he added.
Transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) on Monday began a three-day strike to protest the looming December 31 deadline for franchise consolidation applications under the PUVMP.
Under the government’s modernization program, jeepneys older than 15 years will be replaced by electric-powered or Euro 4 compliant vehicles. Euro 4 is a set of emission standards on particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons.
