Senate President Chiz Escudero advised the Department of Transportation to leave no one behind in its implementation of the Public Transport Modernization Program, particularly those who have depended on the operation of jeepneys as their source of livelihood for most of their lives.
Even if there are public utility vehicle drivers and operators who did not heed the DOTr’s requirement for them to consolidate into cooperatives or corporations by April 30, 2024, Escudero said the government should continue to reach out to these groups and not close the door on them completely.
“Sa gobyerno, wala tayong karapatan na mawalan ng pasensya.”
“Sa gobyerno, wala tayong karapatan na mawalan ng pasensya. Keep your lines of communication open and find a middle ground that you can agree upon,” the veteran legislator said during a meeting with officials of the DOTr, led by Secretary Jaime Bautista.
The seasoned lawmaker relayed to DOTr officials the concerns raised by transport groups PISTON and Manibela on the implementation of the PTMP, as well as other PUV groups who have already consolidated.
One key issue brought up by the transport groups to the Senate President was the valuation of the existing jeepneys that will be “traded in” by the drivers and operators.
PISTON has noted that the DOTr has yet to decide on the amount, something which the Senate President said worries most PUV drivers and operators taking part in the PTMP because of the valuation’s impact on their downpayment for the modern jeepneys.
Under the PTMP, local government units (LGUs) are also required to come up with their respective Local Public Transport Route Plans (LPTRPs), but only a few have been able to comply. The DOTr informed Escudero that it expects the completion of the route plans between 2026 and 2027.
“Only 71 percent of all LGUs have been able to submit their LPTRPs and of those, only 11 percent have been approved by the DOTr,” he noted.
Another option Escudero proposed to the DOTr is to study the possibility of allowing the unconsolidated PUV groups to become part of the route or “to consolidate but not become part of the cooperative” since many of them are uneasy about becoming part of such an organization.
He reiterated that these issues must first be threshed out before the PTMP is implemented, specifically cracking down on the so-called colorum PUVs.
In the case of the PUV groups that have consolidated, Escudero said the main concern is the affordability of the modern jeepneys.
With a reported cost of over P2 million for each modern jeepney, he said the PUV drivers and operators will need help in financing.
“DOTr should go out of its way to come up with ways to make financing for these modern jeepneys more accessible to them.”
“DOTr should go out of its way to come up with ways to make financing for these modern jeepneys more accessible to them. We can extend the amortization period and offer low interest rates. Let’s make it easier for those who agreed to consolidation,” he explained.
“Government can come up with creative ways that will be acceptable to both the borrowers and the lending institutions,” Escudero added.
He suggested the issuance of financial instruments such as government securities to cover the remaining balance for the loans of the transport groups, “this way the banks can invest in GS to spur lending and at the same time they will make money from the interest offered by these instruments.”
“Let us roll out the red carpet for those who will participate in the program,” Escudero concluded.
