Manibela wants 1-year provisional authority, prototype units for unconsolidated jeepneys

Transport group Manibela on Wednesday urged the government to give unconsolidated jeepney drivers and operators a one-year provisional authority amid the crackdown against them.

Manibela chairperson Mar Valbuena said during that period, they should be allowed to create and use their own prototype units that meet the standards under the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

“Ang hiningi po ng Kongreso sa loob ng isang taon makakabiyahe na kami,” he said in an interview on GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita.

(What the Congress asked for is that within a year we will be able to operate.)

“Papatunayan natin sa DOTr, sa LTFRB, sa gobyerno na kaya po nating sumabay na magpagawa ng sarili nating mga jeepney gamit itong ating mga franchise,” he added, referring to the Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

(We will prove to the DOTr, the LTFRB, and the government that we can build our own prototype jeepney units using our franchises.)

In response, DOTr Undersecretary Andy Ortega said there was no agreement made regarding such one-year provisional authority for unconsolidated jeepneys.

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“Nandun ako sa Kongreso buong hearing. Mukhang nagkamali ata ng pagkaintindi ‘yung isang tao at isang grupo kasi walang naging kasunduan na gano'n. Ang pinaka nangyari, nagkaro'n ng suhestiyon ang isang kaibigan natin na congressman at ang sabi is pag-aaralan naman natin ang kanilang suhestiyon,” Ortega said in a separate Unang Balita interview on Wednesday.

(I was in the Congress during the entire hearing, it seems that one person or one group misunderstood what was said because there was no such agreement. What happened was, a congressman made a suggestion about it and we said that we will study their suggestion.)

“Pero ‘yung sinasabi na nagkasundo at dapat gawin ‘yun, definitely hindi po nangyari ‘yun,” he added.   

(But what they’re saying that there was an agreement is definitely not true.)

In a May 21 hearing at the House of Representatives, Rizal Representative Jose Arturo “Jojo” Garcia Jr. called on the DOTr to allow the remaining 19% of PUVs that did not undergo consolidation to continue their operations.

“Yung ibang ‘old school,’ hindi pa nila kayang tanggapin 'yan kaya maraming pang hindi sumusunod e...Sabi ko kay DOTr, aralin ninyo baka puwede naman 'yung ayaw talaga, iyong mga hardliner, payagan na natin,” he said.

(The other “old school” drivers and operators can't accept the modernization program yet so many of them have to consolidate. I told the DOTr to study, maybe we can allow those who refused to continue their operations.)

DOTr Undersecretary Ferdinand Ortega took note of Garcia's suggestion.

“We appreciate yung statement in Congressman Garcia. Definitely po, any suggestion from this chamber po always accepted, talagang pinakikinggan (will be considered),” Ortega said during the hearing.

Valbuena, during the Unang Balita interview, reiterated that Manibela does not oppose the modernization initiative. He said the group only does not agree with buying the specific jeepney models selected by the DOTr for the program as well as the consolidation of drivers and operators into cooperatives.

Ortega, meanwhile, said that the consolidation is already over, and the DOTr will continue implementing the PUVMP, pending the decision of the Supreme Court on the petition of some jeepney drivers and operators to halt the program.

When it comes to apprehension of unconsolidated jeepneys, the DOTr official emphasized that due process will be given.

“Bibigyan natin sila ng due process para that time, siguro mga next week po ‘to, na sila’y pwedeng lapitan, hanapan ng mga dokumento. Due process will be finished by then. Gagawin naman ng gobyerno ‘yung obligasyon na 'wag payagang pumasada ang wala nang karapatan sa kalye,” he said.

(We will give them due process. Maybe next week, they can already be approached and asked for documents. Due process will be finished by then. The government will abide by the obligation to not allow unconsolidated PUVs to ply their routes.)

The consolidation of individual PUV franchises into cooperatives or corporations, which ended April 30, is the initial stage of the modernization program. 

According to Valbuena, drivers and operators were asked to consolidate for the purpose of loan application in buying the jeepney models selected by the DOTr.

After the deadline, a total of 36,217 PUVs and 2,445 routes remain unconsolidated.

Manibela on Tuesday announced another three-day "tigil-pasada" next week to protest the apprehension of unconsolidated jeepneys. —KBK/KG, GMA Integrated News