SENATOR Grace Poe over the weekend assured members of the transport sector in Cagayan de Oro City that she would act on the unreasonable penalties imposed for various violations.
Poe said she would ask the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to suspend the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) that imposes high penalties for violations.
"Kailangan talaga kausapin yung LTFRB na suspendihin ang JAO ng mga penalties dito sa mga public utility vehicles na iimpound. Ang problema kasi yung iba nagbabayad ng P200,000, yung iba P50,000, saan ka kukuha ng pambayad yung mga drivers natin ng ganyan," Poe said.
Poe was in Cagayan de Oro City last Saturday, January 26, to lead the Senate public services committee hearing on PUV modernization, effects of the Train Law, proposed extensions of LTO offices and franchises, at the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP).
Poe, who is seeking reelection, said the JAO is illegal and anti-people and has to be scrapped.
"Ito ay iliegal sapagkat hindi ito batas, ito ay joint administrative order lamang noong dating Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) na hanggang ngayon ay ipinapatupad, so kailangan nating ayusin ito dahil hindi na po ito makatao, mapang-api na ang ganitong klaseng administrative order," Poe said.
Poe also wants the P5,000 government subsidy through the "Pantawid Pasada" program be directly given to the drivers and not to the operators.
The lady senator also explained that the importance of road worthiness and safety among the drivers and the riding public.
Poe opposed the idea of replacing the Public Utility Jeepneys (PUJs) that are still roadworthy.
"Importante sa lahat ay road worthiness. Dapat ligtas ang mga pampasaherong sasakyan pero hindi naman mayayaman ang mga drivers natin at saka hanapbuhay nila yan so kung ang sasakyan nila ay malinis at roadworthy, huwag munang palitan kung ito ay gumagana pa ng tama," Poe said.
"At dapat ayusin din ang korupsyon sa LTO, kasi minsan kahit na ang sama ng buga ng usok, bibigyan pa rin nila ng permit. Obviously hindi roadworthy yun pero yung maayos bakit nila pahihirapan? Uutang sila ng one point something million, paano nila babayaran yun," she added.
Joel Gabatan, regional coordinator of the National Confederation of Transport Union (NCTU-10), said they are hopeful with Poe's move to suspend the JAO.
He said they were happy because they were given the time to express their opposition on the system of transport modernization.
"Nalipay mi kay nakita namo nga pabor sa amo ang hearing labi na sa gi-anunsyo ni Senator Poe nga wad-on ang JAO, Kanang JAO mao nay dako nga kasakit sa mga drivers labi kanang dagko kaayo nga mga penalty," Gabatan said.
Meanwhile, Poe asked the Department of Health (DOH) to allocate an additional P20 million for the improvement of hospital facilities and procurement of medical supplies for the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC).
Poe visited the NMMC at the sidelines of the senate hearing. The senator supported the passage of Republic Act 10677 which aims to increase the "bed capacity" of NMMC from 300 to 600.
"Nanawagan tayo sa Department of Health para mabigyan ng pondo itong ospital para mas marami pang maserbisyuhan," Poe said.