Transport groups hold protest caravan vs. PUV modernization

Two transport groups are pushing through with their protest caravan on Tuesday against the government's public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.

Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) national president Mody Floranda told Unang Balita that its members will gather at UP Diliman in Quezon City at around 8:30 or 9 a.m.

At 11 a.m., the protest caravan will go to Commonwealth Avenue, make a U-turn at Philcoa, go to Quezon Avenue and stop at Welcome Rotonda.

From Welcome Rotonda, those joining the protest action will march to Mendiola in Manila.

The Samahang Manibela Mananakay at Nagkaisang Terminal ng Transportasyon (Manibela) earlier said the protest caravan will not be like the transport strikes that have been held in the past.

There will still be jeepneys servicing routes, it said.

Floranda confirmed this and said, "Hindi halos lahat ng ruta. Halimbawa, sa isang ruta may 100 units. Ang dadalo diyan [sa protest caravan] ay mga trenta o kuwarenta. 'Yung iba, maiiwan. Kaya tuloy-tuloy ang ating serbisyo sa mga mamamayan."

(Not all routes [will be affected]. For example, if one route has 100 units, only around 30 or 40 units will join [the protest caravan]. The others will continue servicing the route for the benefit of commuters.)

"Magkaiba po ito sa 'pag naglunsad tayo ng welga," he added.

(This is different from a transport strike.)

Floranda also said the protest caravan on Tuesday will also be participated in by other sectors of society such as the commuters themselves.

"Batay sa huling pag-uusap ay halo-halo 'yan. Hindi lang transport at kasama 'yung iba't ibang sektor ng lipunan. Mga pasahero makikita sa transport caravan," he said.

(Based on our last discussions, there will be various groups. Not only transport, but other sectors of society [will be represented]. Passengers will also join the transport caravan.)

Floranda added that members of transport groups will hold similar protest caravans on Tuesday in Bacolod and Iloilo.

"Hindi lamang sa National Capital Region magkakaroon ng caravan. Pati Bacolod at Iloilo, magkakaroon din sila ng caravan papunta sa Region 6 LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board)," he said.

(The caravan will not only be held in the National Capital Region. Bacolod and Iloilo will also have a caravan that will go to Region 6 LTFRB.)

The PISTON head said they are still awaiting the decision of the Supreme Court regarding their petition for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) to halt the implementation of the government's imposed deadline of Dec. 31 for consolidation as part of the PUV modernization program.

"Sa bahagi natin ay patuloy tayong nag-aantabay sa magiging desisyon ng Korte Suprema doon sa hinihingi nating TRO na finile natin noong Dec. 20 at 28," Floranda said.

(On our part, we are still waiting for the Supreme Court to decide on our petition for a TRO that we filed last December 20 and 28.)

"Tayo ay umaasa pa rin na baguhin pa rin ni BBM ang kanyang posisyon dahil hindi lamang ang mga driver at operator ang matatamaan nitong Feb. 1 kundi mismo 'yung ating mga mananakay mahihirapan na pumasok sa kanilang trabaho at pumunta sa kanilang mga paroroonan," he added.

(We are hoping too that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will still change his position because not only drivers and operators will be affected this Feb. 1. Even commuters will have difficulty in getting transportation to reach their workplaces or go to where they should go.)

"Kaya sana makita ng gobyerno ang kahalagahan ng serbisyo ng public transport," he said.

(Hopefully the government will see the value of the service provided by public transport.)

The Office of Transportation Cooperatives on Sunday appealed to PUV operators and drivers who failed to consolidate before the deadline to stop plying their routes beginning February 1 to avoid conflicts with apprehending authorities.

OTC Chairman Andy Ortega was referring to the jeepneys that would be tagged as “colorum” or illegal after their operators failed to meet the December 31, 2023 consolidation deadline as part of the PUV Modernization Program.

LTFRB chairman Teofilo Guadiz said Monday that there would be random checks of jeepneys on February 1, 2024.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier declared that there would be no extension of the December 31, 2023 deadline.

Those who failed to apply for consolidation would no longer be allowed to operate starting Monday, January 1, 2024, especially in routes where 60% of PUVs had applications.

But those who operate in routes with less than 60% consolidation or with zero consolidation would still be allowed to ply their routes until January 31.

Authorities said that half of the jeepneys in Metro Manila could be considered ‘colorum’ starting February 1, 2024.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) meanwhile assured commuters that it is ready to provide libreng sakay or free rides.

The MMDA said it is not recommending the suspension of classes since there were only a few complaints received so far regarding the protest caravan.

Started in 2017, the PUV Modernization Program aims to replace traditional jeepneys with vehicles that have at least a Euro 4-compliant engine to lessen pollution and replace units that were not deemed roadworthy under the standards of the Land Transportation Office.

The consolidation of individual PUV franchises in cooperatives or corporations is the initial stage of the program. This aims to pass the burden of acquiring modernized units from operators to the transport entity.

The deadline for consolidation was December 31, 2023, but in a December 25 Memorandum, the LTFRB said that individual operators in routes without a consolidated transport service entity (TSE) may be allowed to operate until January 31.

Other consolidated TSEs may secure special three-month permits to operate past January 31 on routes without consolidated TSEs. —KG, GMA Integrated News