Transport groups on Monday appealed to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to forego their plan in March next year to forfeit their franchise to operate if they fail to comply with the government’s modernizarion program.
Leaders of the transport organizations based in the National Capital Region and other parts of the country said it would be impossible for them to comply with the program, citing the lack of time.
They are appealing for a five-year period transition period to comply with the government’s modernization program.
During Monday’s continuation of the Senate committee on public services’ hearing on the proposed public utility vehicle modernization program, the groups told panel chairman Senator Grace Poe that the program was designed for big corporations and not for small jeepney operators.
Poe also questioned LTRFB Board Resolution 45 which provides new routes for the transport groups after operators complained that they were unaware that franchises were being offered.
LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra refused to answer Poe’s question, saying he has a pending case in the Ombudsman in connection with the matter.
The senator also asked why LTFRB board member Aileen Lizada was barred from taking to the media. She urged that Lizada be reinstated as the agency’s spokesperson.
Poe said the timing was very suspicious because Lizada was stripped of her post after the issue on new franchises came out. Lizada was among those who opposed LTRFB Resolution 45.
Senator Bam Aquino, on the other hand, insisted that LTRFB should not prevent drivers from doing their job when they failed to meet the March deadline for a consolidated franchise. He said that operators and drivers should not be deprived of their means of livelihood.
Meanwhile, Delgra assured the Senate thatthey would not implement the March deadline, but failed to give dates for the implementation of the modernization program
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, meanwhile, raised the possibility of making modernization voluntary on the part of transport groups. He said the passengers should be allowed to decide on whether to ride the new ones or the old jeepneys.
On the plan of a nationwide transport strike amid the continuing spikes in the prices of petroleum products, leaders of the transport groups said they are still weighing things.