DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista has urged the groups to speak with concerned government agencies, particularly the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), to address issues regarding the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.
The program is aimed at replacing the old and traditional jeepneys with high-quality and environment-friendly vehicles with bigger capacity.
“You know siguro dapat pag-isipan nating mabuti ‘yung pag-stop ng operations. Dapat mag-usap-usap muna. Let’s understand what the issues are kasi baka hindi tayo nagkakaintindihan (You know, perhaps we should carefully consider stopping operations. We should talk first. Let’s understand what the issues are because we might not be understanding each other),” he said.
On Monday, February 27, transport groups representatives said jeepneys and UV Express drivers and operators will hold a seven day transport holiday in Metro Manila starting March 6 to express their opposition to the government’s modernization program on public transport which was initiated by the former administration.
Transport group Manibela’s chairman Mar Valbuena said 40,000 traditional jeepneys and UV Express units would be out of service during the strike.
Earlier, the LTFRB has approved Memorandum Circular 2023-013 indicatin that individual operators of traditional jeepneys will no longer be allowed to continue operations after June 30, 2023, unless they join a cooperative or corporation for them to be granted with provisional authority for franchise.
LTFRB central office board chairman Teofilo Guadiz III said only 60 percent of the target number of vehicles for modernization has complied with the requirements under the program such as industry consolidation into cooperatives.
He said the remaining 40 percent continue to use traditional jeepneys.
Valbuena argued that these moves will burden the transport sector, particularly amid the series of fuel price increases.
While Land Bank of the Philippines offers loans to buy new vehicles and the LTFRB provides a P160,000 subsidy to borrowers, the cost is still too high for drivers who have shortened their trip hours due to fewer passengers brought about by work-from-home policies. Each modern jeepney costs around P2.7 million, Valbuena said.
“We have larger jeepneys we call patok, which cost P1.2 million to P1.4 million if air-conditioned. These are more durable and retain the jeepney’s iconic look,” Valbuena said.
Meanwhile, transport groups are coordinating with counterparts in the regions to join the transport strike.