Five major transport groups on Sunday announced their withdrawal from the Magnificent 7 coalition, accusing leaders Roberto “Ka Obet” Martin of Pasang Masda and Melecio “Boy” Vargas of the Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP) of pursuing personal interests.
At a news conference in Quezon City, Orlando Marquez, president of the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators ng Pilipinas (LTOP), said his group, along with FEDJODAP, Stop N Go, ACTO, and ACTONA, decided to break away.
“We were not informed of their actions. The seven of us should have been consulted,” Marquez said, referring to Martin and Vargas’ call for the resignation of Transportation Undersecretary Ramon Reyes, LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III, and NCR Director Zona Tamayo. “I was in the hospital at the time of their press conference. We never discussed the resignation of those officials.”
Marquez said the five breakaway groups, together with the UV Express group, have formed a new coalition called the United National Public Transport Organization of the Philippines, which has already secured its registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson expressed support for the new coalition, offering modern electric jeepneys priced at ₱1.6 million each—cheaper than the ₱2.8 million to ₱3 million units proposed by the Magnificent 7. “The price could go lower with government subsidy,” Singson said, adding that QR codes will be integrated for fare payments.
