Pasang Masda, other groups file motion seeking to oppose TRO petition vs. PUVMP

Pasang Masda and other transport groups on Monday asked the Supreme Court to allow them to intervene on an earlier petition against the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

“Basically, ang nilalaman po nito ay ino-oppose namin ang kanilang finile na TRO (we are opposing their petition for TRO),” Pasang Masda president Obet Martin said in an ambush interview.

Pasang Masda and other transport groups file motion that seeks to oppose the TRO petition against the PUV Modernization Program @gmanews pic.twitter.com/ilmvEj9KOE

— Joahna Lei Casilao (@joahnacasilao) January 15, 2024

On December 20, PISTON and other members of transport groups filed a petition before the SC that sought to stop the implementation of the PUVMP. They filed another petition against the program on December 28.

“Ino-oppose po namin ang kanilang ifinile na TRO sapagkat alam ko bilang ako ay isang operator driver na gusto nilang panatiliin ang lumang mga sasakyan ng ating mga traditional jeepney. Ang sa amin, gusto namin mabago ito sapagkat tayo na lamang ang naiiwan sa Asia, tayo na lamang ang naiiwan sa hanay ng transportasyon,” Martin said.

(We are opposing their TRO because I know as a driver and operator that they want to keep the old and traditional jeepneys. For us, we want to change this because we have been left behind in Asia in the transportation sector.)

“At sinasabi rin, karagdagan, ang mga traditional jeepneys na hindi naman— 'yan po ay pupwede basta [compliant] doon sa Philippine national standard, pwede ho gamitin iyan ng ating mga cooperative at ng corporation,” he added.

(And they are allowed to keep traditional jeepneys as long as they are compliant with the Philippine national standard.)

The PUVMP, which started in 2017, aims to replace jeepneys with vehicles that have at least a Euro 4-compliant engine to lessen pollution and replace PUVs that are not roadworthy by the standards of the Land Transportation Office.

Each unit, however, costs over P2 million, an amount that even state-run banks LandBank and Development Bank of the Philippines said is too expensive for PUV drivers and operators.

Martin, however, said there are now modern jeepneys that cost around P1 million.

“Marami na ho ngayong murang mga modern jeepneys compliant sa PNS kagaya ng isang supplier na halos P1 million na lamang po ang halaga. Pwe-pwede po natin gamitin ‘yan,” he said.

(Many modern jeepneys are cheap and still compliant with the PNS like with one supplier that is selling at around P1 million. We can use that.)

Martin also believes that there would be no transport crisis should some of the jeepneys be suspended.

“Gaganda pa po ang kita namin, luluwag ang byahe namin. Wala pong transport crisis. Ito po ay mga pautot lang nila na magkakaroon ng transport crisis. Wala po at hindi mangyayari yan,” he said.

(We will earn more, and our routes will be easier. And there will be no transport crisis. They are only saying that there will be a transport crisis. There will be none. That will not happen.)

According to Martin, they represented 80% of jeepney drivers and operators nationwide.

Though operators were only given until December 31, 2023 to consolidate operations or at least submit applications, they were allowed to operate until January 31.—AOL, GMA Integrated News