THE decision to acquire modern jeepney models lies on the cooperatives, and not on the government, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Tuesday clarified.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) previously said it has already made several adjustments to the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) even as the House of Representatives begins its motu propio investigation into the controversial program due to alleged corruption and irregularities today (Wednesday).
LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III maintained they could not dictate the brand or model of jeepney units the cooperatives and operators would acquire in compliance with the PUVMP.
The LTFRB nor the government has “no” say on what unit and from what company the jeepney operators would choose in purchasing their modern jeepneys, he stressed.
“The cooperatives will be the ones to choose and buy the modern jeepneys. The government has no say in what unit to buy and what country should it come from,” he noted.
Jeepney cooperatives could buy from any manufacturers whether local, from Japan, or China since the government would not meddle in this process and should be fully handled by the cooperatives, he said.
“We also ensure that the primary aspect to consider in shifting to modern jeepneys is the safety and roadworthiness of the new jeepney units to provide better service to the commuters,” he added.
The transportation cooperatives have the autonomy to choose from the Department of Trade and Industry-approved manufacturers that adhere to the Philippine National Standard.
“The DTI has a list ng mga nag-comply sa Philippine National Standard. It is up to them. It is their call. That is their decision. They have the full autonomy,” the LTFRB chief said.
At present, there are currently 32 models of modern jeepney plying around the country that are either locally manufactured or locally assembled jeepneys. (Rio)
Bautista earlier said the consolidation of PUV jeepney and bus operators and drivers into cooperatives is vital to ensure the efficiency of their operations.
Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, chairperson of the House Committee on Transportation, said he is securing the approval of the panel members
to proceed with the probe after Speaker Martin Romualdez directed the panel to validate allegations of corruption in the PUVMP.
The PUVMP lays down the process for the mandatory consolidation of individual operators under transport cooperatives and corporations and the issuance of new franchises.
“We cannot allow corruption to take root in the implementation of the modernization program. If we are to proceed with the modernization of our PUVs, we must make sure there is not even a whiff of irregularity,” Acop added.
DOTr Undersecretary TJ Batan has pointing out how the government has already made several changes to the implementation of the program to address the concerns of jeepney operators and drivers who went on strike last month over the PUVMP, which set a Dec. 31 deadline for them to consolidate into cooperatives.
Batan said the Transportation department has already increased the government’s equity subsidy for acquiring modern jeepney units under the PUVMP from an initial P80,000 to P160,000 and later P280,000.
It also changed its guideline where only one operator could ply a certain route, increasing it to up to three operators, he added.
“Even the period or time to modernize the PUVs has changed. Before, you needed to modernize a jeepney within 12 months or one year, now we are looking at a two- to three-year allowance for consolidated operators to modernize,” Batan said.
According to Bautista, without consolidation, individual operations are inefficient without the standards of transport operations and safety.
“It’s important to consolidate now because we need to make [land public transport] operations more efficient. If we don’t consolidate, we will continue to operate the way we operate— each to his own, fighting in the streets, with no good standards of operation or
safety,” Bautista said.
Bautista assured that the DOTr, along with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Office for Transportation Cooperatives, will ensure the effectiveness of the PUVMP now that the deadline for consolidation expired last Dec. 31, 2023.