NO HALT in jeepney operations was felt in Baguio City amid a nationwide transport strike Monday, September 30.
Stop and Go (Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Na Tutol sa Phase-out) coalition secretary general Lina Lucdo said the 50-association-strong group did not join the nationwide strike because there is a good working relationship between the local government unit of Baguio and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
"It is not timely to have a strike in Baguio, we did not join the strike but we have a stand on the planned pahse-out," Pucdo said.
She said the problem with jeepneys is not the body but the engine and the fuel used to run the vehicles, which is the root of pollution.
She said most of jeepney engines are acquired at expensive rates and are still second-hand form Japan, adding that if the government can provide new engines that are environmentally safe, as well as clean fuels, operators will invest on it, rather than buying the recommended P1.6 million to P1.8 million new jeepneys.
"There is no reason to change jeeps [body], this is because our jeeps are road worthy and upgraded. We change it periodically," she said, stressing there is no need for new jeepneys, just new engines.
Pucdoc said the challenge to the government is to provide new engines for jeepney operators.
"We would want that [to have new engines] because it will also minimize repairs and save us years of maintenance cost," she said.
Last week, both the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator's Nationwide (Piston) and Stop and Go assured no halts in operation of public transport service despite a nationwide strike Monday.
Major transport groups in the country pushed through with a nationwide transport strike to protest the proposed phase-out of jeepneys and UV Express service vehicles next year, as part of the government's Public Utility Vehicle modernization program.