TRANSPORT groups opposing the total phaseout of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) in Davao City as a transition towards the High Priority Bus System (HPBS) will raise their opposition to the 19th City Council.
Transmission-Piston (Piston) secretary general Larry Arguelles said on Tuesday, February 18, that since the Davao City Government is eager to phase out PUJs and replace them with modern buses, they are now challenging the city legislative body to act on their plea.
Arguelles’ statement came following the launching of the transport coalition, Dabawenyo Kontra Jeepney Phaseout Coalition, a joint group of jeepney drivers and operators in Davao City along with different transport groups united to voice out their opposition to the HPBS implementation.
He said the group will be lobbying their protest to the office of Councilor Conrado Baluran, committee chairperson on transportation and communication.
“Magpadala mi og letter kang Councilor Baluran nga ilang tagdon ug tagaa’g panahon sa among pagbatok sa total phase out (We will be sending a formal letter to Councilor Baluran urging the council to listen to our opposition on phasing out PUJs in the city),” Arguelles said, adding that they, along with the coalition members, will send the opposition letter to Baluran’s office within this week.
He said as a legislative body, the coalition wants them to intervene on the city’s plan to phase out more than 7,000 PUJs and will be replaced by more than 1,000 low-floored city buses.
“Ilaha untang tagaa’g pagtagad among pagkontra sa pagduso sa gobyerno nga panguhaan og panginabuhian ang mga tagsa-tagsang drivers diria sa siyudad (We hope they would act on our opposition against the government’s initiative to take away the livelihood of the drivers and operators in the city),” the transport leader said.
Arguelles said they are opposing the phasing out of PUJs as many drivers would still be affected despite social compensation packages prepared by the local government to affected drivers, adding that since not all drivers will be prioritized in the hiring of bus drivers.
If the Council fails to take action, he said the group will be raising the matter to the national government.
He added they will stage a mass transportation strike if the local government fails to hear their grievances.
HPBS aims to support the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, which has the goal of making the country’s public transportation system efficient and environmentally friendly by 2020.
City Assistant Administrator Tristan Dwight Domingo said the city will totally remove PUJs, and is expected to operate the first phase of the implementation this year. (RGL)