Senators signed a resolution that urged the government to immediately suspend the implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), now known as the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), in order to address urgent concerns raised by relevant groups.
"Expressing the sense of the senate to temporarily suspend the implementation of the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), formerly known as the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), pending the resolution of valid and urgent concerns raised by affected drivers, groups, unions, and transport cooperatives with the end in view ensuring a more efficient and inclusive implementation of the PTMP," the opening statement of the resolution stated.
The Proposed Senate Resolution No. 1096, dated July 24, was authored and signed by 22 senators with Senator Risa Hontiveros withholding her signature.
Over 36, 217 units or approximately 19% of the jeepneys and other PUVs have not yet consolidated, the Senate stated in the resolution.
The Senate suspects that the high number of unconsolidated units may be due to insufficient information laid out to individuals who'll be participating in the program.
Additionally, the financial cost of modern PUVs exceeds the financial capacity of drivers and operators which may hold them back from consolidating.
Non-participants will be subjected as colorum and will be forced to operate illegally and risk being fined with their vehicles being impounded if they wish to continue with their routes.
"These small stakeholders, particularly the drivers, who remain unconsolidated, are effectively forced out of their livelihoods with most of them expressing that the only skill they have is driving,” the resolution stated.
The resolution also included the ‘alarming’ concern of potential phaseout of the iconic jeepney design to give way for modern jeepneys which appears to look like mini buses, that were imported from other countries like China.
The resolution also urged the Department of Transportation to review and address concerns raised by various transport groups due to the ‘deficiencies’ of the PTMP.
The resolution also urges the Department of Transportation to review and address concerns raised by various transport groups due to the ‘deficiencies’ of the PTMP, for there is an urgent need to thoroughly reassess the impact of the program.
“To alleviate the fears of the drivers and transport operators who will be directly burdened by its implementation,” the resolution read.
In an exclusive interview with DZRH, Senator JV Ejercito highlighted financing, rationalization of routes, and consideration of local manufacturers are among the pressing concerns on the PTMP.
"Ang palagay ng mga senador ay kung hindi naman talaga handa pa, 'wag natin ipipilit," Ejercito said on Thursday.
Previously on July 23, Senate President Francis Escudero expressed his support for the imposed suspension on the PUV Modernization Program during a Senate committee hearing, mentioning his objection to what he referred to as a 'burden' to the transport sector, emphasizing the cultural essence of jeepneys to the country.
In the same hearing, he mentioned his plan to file a resolution to suspend the ongoing implementation of the program to which Senator Raffy Tulfo manifested his support.
On July 29, Magnificent 7 and other transport groups threats to conduct a nationwide transport strike all over the country if Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero pushes through with the resolution to suspend the program.
