Over 400,000 public utility vehicle drivers and operators belonging to the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization are backing the PUV modernization program of the Department of Transportation, but are rejecting government’s proposal of its loan system to enable them to acquire modernized and imported units.
At a news conference in Quezon City, ACTO national president Efren de Luna echoed the sentiments of his members against the cooperative-bank loan system to finance their vehicle acquisition.
“We prefer that we as operators be the ones to buy our own units rather than through a cooperative that shall transact bank financing,” he said.
“Government must also allow us choose the locally electronic jeepneys that could only cost between P1.3 million and P1.5 million, unlike those manufactured outside the Philippines amounting to more than P2 million per unit,” he added.
He expressed disappointment over the other transport groups’ inclination to acquire imported e-jeeps.
He said they have nothing against the July 2020 implementation of the PUVMP.
“We know how sincere the government is in its target to modernize the country’s transport system,” he told reporters.
An ordinary e-jeep driver could earn as much as P3,000 a day, “enough to pay the P22,000 monthly payment for an acquired unit,” he said.
On the other hand, one must be forced to earn P7,000 a day should one buy an imported e-jeep, he added.
“That is far from reality,” he said.
Should the DOTr allow ACTO to choose its own local brands, the transport leader vowed to comply with the internationally accepted standards for addressing carbon emissions.